Foetus
by CJS-DEPPendent
Summary: To him they're just foetuses. They come after Zygote and before Infant. To her they're babies who need love. They're different, polar oppoistes, but somehow, the very thing they look upon differently might just be what brings them together. HUDDY
1. Chapter 1

Foetus

* * *

This was bad. This was very bad! Lisa Cuddy knew that this was possibly one of the worst things that could ever happen. And yet, she had the biggest smile imaginable on her face. Twenty minutes previously, she had been furious at Greg House's latest prank, but now, not even he could ruin her day. Actually, he was kind of responsible for the smile.

Sitting at her desk, Cuddy turned on the computer and placed the small photograph in the scanner. In less than a minute, she had it as her desktop background. Even with it staring her in the face, she couldn't believe it. It was too surreal. She'd been assured that it'd never happen, she had given up, she had, finally, come to terms with the impossibility of it all, and yet, there it was staring her in the face.

But what about him? He was House. He'd never … he wouldn't care. And yet, she remembered the look in his eyes that night, when it had all come crashing down, he looked almost human, like he felt her pain. Maybe he would, maybe, just maybe, it was worth a shot.

* * *

"Mr. Kitts, I'm Lisa Cuddy, I was told there was some sort of problem" spoke Cuddy in her most professional voice.

"Yes, in fact there is! That madman is refusing to do what I say! I have power of attorney for my wife! She would want this baby, so we'll wait!" he said pointing to House who was sitting in his office throwing and catching a ball with his cane.

"Ah …" nodded Cuddy "If you'll accompany me"

* * *

"House!" there was the sound he'd been expecting: Lisa Cuddy's angry call.

"Moi?"

"House! What is going on?" she asked motioning for Mr. Kitts to take a seat in one of the visitor's chairs.

"He wants me to keep his wife on life support for the next three months rather than operate now and save her life!"

Cuddy looked at Mr. Kitts

"If you operate now, our son will die!" he shouted "if she could make the call, she would say wait!"

"House, I think Mr. Kitts has made his desires quite clear. She stays as she is" spoke Cuddy in a calm, rational voice.

"Oh please! You would always side with the one of us who wanted to save the baby! Listen to me! Right now, it is a parasite! It's living off your wife and stopping us from making her better! We could save her!"

"House!" shouted Cuddy

"She would have wanted him to live!" shouted the husband

"She can have another one! It's isn't that hard unless you're Cuddy!" House shouted as he stood up

"House!" she shouted standing up as well and continued to speak while looking directly at House "Mr. Kitts, don't worry, your son will be fine, Dr. House here won't be on the case for much longer"

"Thank you" he said nodding and leaving.

"You just condemned that woman to her death!"

"It's her choice!" spoke Cuddy

"No! It's not! It's his! Are you telling me that, were she fit to make a choice, she would chose to die?" he asked

"She might! We can't decide that she wouldn't!"

"And he can't decide she would!"

"Yes he can!" she shouted "he has her power of attorney! Legally, what he says goes!"

Exhaling, House looked at her with a piercing, blue stare "he is killing his wife, for a foetus!"

"To him it's not a foetus, House! It's his son!"

"Does it speak? Does it say 'dadda' and cry? No! It's a foetus! It doesn't even look human yet!"

"House! She will stay on the life support, she will have the baby and you will respect the father's decision!" as he opened his mouth to argue, she spoke calmly "House, you are Off. The. Case."

"Fine, Dr. Cuddy. If that is all, you know where the door is" he said turning around in his chair.

Sighing, Cuddy stood and quickly left the room.

* * *

Or maybe it wasn't worth a shot. Maybe he really wouldn't care. She had no evidence to say he would. All she had was his hurtful comments and the constant reminder that, to Greg House, any living thing residing within a human being was no more than a parasite. To him, a baby was just a foetus, a technical term. It came after zygote and before infant.

'_He won't care'_ she sighed to herself just as her office door opened and James Wilson walked in.

"I heard" he said taking a seat, somehow he always ended up clearing up the mess that inevitably resulted from a House/Cuddy confrontation.

"The team?" she asked wondering who had told him

"No, I mean I actually heard you shouting"

"Oh"

"Are you alright?" he asked

"I'm fine" she said and she really was. Even with House being a jerk, even with everything about him that made the current situation a problem, she was completely fine. Actually, she was more than fine, she was perfect.

"You know that if you need to talk …"

"I know, Wilson. And thanks, but I really am fine"

"Alright. Well, you know where to find me if you need anything" he said standing up

"I do. Thank you"

Once he was gone and there was no one in the room, Cuddy moved her mouse and the bouncing letters that read "Princeton-Plainsboro" disappeared and there was the image again. Looking at it, Cuddy thought back to what House had said. But somehow, looking at the small bean shaped image, the term 'foetus' didn't seem to apply. It wasn't a foetus, it wasn't a zygote, it wouldn't be just an infant, it was her child, her son or daughter, hers and … _'No'_ she thought. It was just hers.

And that's how the idea of telling everyone that it was a result of IVF came about. She couldn't tell anyone that she had conceived the baby the traditional way, firstly because too many questions would be asked and secondly because the father wasn't stupid enough to ignore the math.

* * *

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N:**__ Thank you all for your reviews, as requested, here's chapter two, I hope you like it and keep the feedback coming :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Three months later, 5 months pregnant and looking it, Cuddy had told everyone, well, she'd 'told' Wilson and the board members, plus a couple of nurses and Cameron who had asked if the rumours were true, but somehow the news had spread and she was sure everyone knew by now. Anyhow, whether they did or not, by the speed at which her abdomen was expanding, pretty soon there would be no way anyone could plausibly continue to not know.

Except him. She knew he knew. She knew that as soon as she told Wilson, it was only a matter of hours before House found out. There was no way she could believe that he didn't know. If not Wilson, then Cameron would have told him. And if not her, one of his fellows, who all already knew, would have mentioned it. Oh, he knew. But he was expertly pretending not to.

On Monday, when Cuddy had arrived to work, he had looked at her and sent her a quick "did you put on weight this weekend?" before signing off the chart he had been carrying and leaving the clinic.

On Wednesday, he had asked Wilson if he thought Cuddy might have some abnormality growing in her abdomen while standing within 5 feet of her.

But he wouldn't be able to pretend forever. She knew that whether he chose to acknowledge her pregnancy or whether he didn't, within four months, she would have a baby and he wouldn't be able to ignore that, because it wouldn't be just a foetus, it would be a baby, her baby, hi … _their_ baby.

"Wow, Cuddy! You ok?" asked Wilson who, unbeknownst to her, was passing by with House just as she momentarily lost her balance.

"Oh, she's fine, but you can't expect her to keep her balance all the time with that abnormal growth there, honestly, don't you think she should have it checked out?" asked House checking his watch as Wilson moved away from him towards Cuddy who was now leaning on the nurses' desk.

"I'm fine … I just didn't have a good enough breakfast today, probably just need some sugar" she said straightening herself for a few seconds before falling back onto Wilson. Reflexes kicking in, Wilson quickly grabbed her under the arms as House ran/limped towards them.

"What was that?" asked the oncologist looking up at House who, surprisingly, had a concerned look on his face as he stared at Cuddy's pale one.

* * *

"Everything looks good with the baby" said Cameron who was doing the ultrasound.

"That's good" said Wilson who was looking over Cameron's shoulder at the image

"Yea, great!" said House in a sarcastic tone "still don't know what's wrong with the mother though" he added looking down at Cuddy who was lying unconscious on the bed.

"Where are you going?" asked Wilson as House moved towards the door.

"Find out what's wrong with her" and with that he was gone.

* * *

House had lost count of how many times he'd been alone in Cuddy's office, usually to play some kind of prank, or find some document that she'd gone out of her way to hide from him. But he'd never been in there under this kind of circumstance.

How would he find out what was wrong with her? And why did he care so much? Why was he feeling so urgent?

Mentally shaking himself, House moved around the desk and sat down. As he began to open drawers, he saw the computer screen come on and an ultrasound picture covered the entire desktop. Normally, he would have made some mental comment about how much free time the woman had to have to scan the photo, upload it to the computer and set it as a background. But something on the top of the screen caught his eye and all comments vanished.

Ultrasound Date: 15 Jan. 09

Aprox. Foetus age: 10 weeks.

Now, House was a world renowned doctor. He was an expert in his field, which meant he was an expert in science, which kind of implied a fairly good understanding of maths. And even if he wasn't, it didn't take much skill to count 10 weeks backwards from January 15th and find that the date of conception was around the end of October.

The end of October.

Suddenly House understood why cartoons had little lamps over their heads when they had ideas. And it all made sense, well, it didn't make much sense, but at least it was clear.

House knew what this meant, he was fully aware of it, again, his vast knowledge of medicine and science came in handy. But even knowing what it meant, even being fully aware that it was … that he was … he still couldn't bring himself to think it, let alone say it.

It couldn't be. Well, it was, but it couldn't …

"Find anything?" came Foreman's voice from the doorway "I heard what happened and apparently had the same idea as you" he explained

"Oh … uh, no, didn't find anything"

"Want some help?"

"Uh…" the power of speech was gradually coming back to him "I, uh … I'm going to go check her apartment … you look here" said House coming up with the best excuse to leave the room that he could come up with. And hey, while he was 'away from the room', he might as well go to Cuddy's place and try and find something.

* * *

House hadn't been back in her house since the night that he now knew resulted in … Well, since the night he'd followed Wilson's advice and actually rung Cuddy's bell, both the physical and metaphorical one.

Moving around the apartment, he recalled each step of that night. Entering the house. Closing the door. Moving to the living room. Drinking coffee. Looking at Cuddy while she watched TV. Having her look back. The kiss. All the other kisses. The gradual move/limp towards her bedroom. Registering, along the way, that the room where the baby would have lived was now empty. Heading for the front door the next morning. Turning back. Changing his mind and actually leaving.

As he moved around, he saw her half eaten breakfast on the kitchen table, cornflakes and an orange. In her bedroom, the bed was still unmade and apparently, she had tried on several outfits before settling for one which fit and looked good – and boy, did it look good!

_Ring_

"House" he answered his cell

"It's Wilson, where are you?" he asked

"Cuddy's place"

"Why?"

"Why do I always break into patient's houses?" asked House with a 'duh' look on his face.

"Point taken. Find anything?"

"Not yet, just her half eaten breakfast" said House passing up the urge to go through Cuddy's underwear drawers and moving to the bathroom.

"Half-Eaten breakfast?" he asked "She did say she probably only needed some sugar …"

House knew that Wilson was probably right, but the knowledge that there could be something worse going on kept him going through her things.

"House!" Wilson called on the other side "You can come back, she's probably just hypoglycaemic. We'll give her some sugar and she'll be good to go in a few days" when he got no response, he spoke again "I know you think its probably some strange disease from Madagascar and are looking for all possible signs that you're right, but the chances of that are slim, House. Come back" as always, Wilson was the voice of reason.

Sighing, House nodded, glad that no one could see him "Fine, I'll be there in a bit" and he clicked off.

Well, seeing as Wilson had solved the, really non-existent, mystery, House figured that, to keep his mind off the problem he seemed to be obsessing about, there was nothing better than to _actually_ go through Cuddy's underwear drawer, and so he did.

* * *

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N: **__Hey, sorry for the long-ish wait, work and, well, life just got in the way (i.e. I spent my afternoons watching House rather than writing it)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"What took you?" asked Wilson when House finally re-entered the hospital

"I got, uh, caught up"

Not wanting to know what his friend was referring to, Wilson merely nodded and continued "She's responding to the treatment, she was just lacking sugar. Figures, actually, she spends most of her time here, working, goes home and sleeps, leaves home early to come and work. Something has to fall behind"

"Well it can't can it?" asked House suddenly surprised at his own protective tone "she can't overlook things like eating. She knows better than that!"

Looking at House with a questioning look, Wilson was about to ask what was up when, wanting to avoid an explanation, House decided he needed to go to the bathroom and left for the elevators to seek some refuge in his glass-walled office.

* * *

"Hey, I'm going home, you staying?" asked Wilson poking his head in the door to House's office.

Looking at the clock and pretending to be busy with something, House replied "I'll be gone in a bit"

"Ok"

* * *

On his way out, for some reason that wasn't really beyond him but that seemed to be beyond him, House made a stop by Cuddy's room. Everything was dark in there; she was lying in bed, an IV line sticking out of her arm, the sheets clearly showing the growing bump on her abdomen.

Sitting down next to her, House's arms seemed to get a mind of their own and he pulled the ultrasound machine closer to him. Silently and carefully, he pushed the sheets back and placed the sensor to Cuddy's belly.

And there it was. It didn't really look like a human, more like some odd form of sea monkey. Tiny hands and tiny legs, oddly shaped head, incredibly fast beating heart, it was, as he had expected a foetus. But it wasn't _just_ a foetus. It was _his_ foetus, and somehow, that made it different. God knew no one would know he felt different, but he knew he did, and that scared him; it really scared him.

Clearing his throat and putting everything away, House quickly left the room and headed out to his bike and off towards home.

Left behind, Cuddy was just starting to wake up, she had a vague recollection of his smell, and his touch, but now, Greg House would not have gone to visit her, she had do have been dreaming, and with that, she allowed herself to drift back to sleep.

* * *

That night was a sleepless one. Well, it wasn't so much sleepless as it was full of uncomfortable dreams and a lot of tossing and turning. He was going to be a … Well, since Cuddy hadn't exactly told him anything he really wasn't going to be, well, anything … at least not officially.

Maybe it was for the best, maybe he wouldn't be any good at it. What was he thinking? He _wouldn't_ be any good at it! He didn't want this, he never wanted this. The crying and the pooping and the eating …

'_I _don't_ want this!'_ he mentally yelled at himself, and even in the confined space of his scull, it sounded fake. Somehow, in a space of 24 hours, Greg House had stopped meaning it. But he was damned if anyone would ever find out.

* * *

"Well, well! Look who's amongst the living again …" smiled Wilson as he entered Cuddy's room to find her in a semi-sitting position.

"Hi" she smiled back

"You ok? You gave us quite a scare there …" he said sitting next to her

"I'm fine. It was just a stupid mistake. It won't happen again" she said smiling at him again

"It'd better not. Not only am I unsure that I'd be able to catch you again, at the rate you're growing, but I think House may kill you if you do"

Not sure what to make of that, Cuddy merely asked "what?"

"I dunno. When he realised that you'd barely eaten, he went all, I don't know, protective? Saying that you couldn't let this happen again … It was strange"

Cuddy suddenly grew worried "has he done anything else strange?" she asked

Just as Wilson was about to answer, he saw Cuddy look over his shoulder towards the door from where House's voice came "I see you're back. Told you that" he pointed at her stomach "would be a problem" _and how!_ he added in his head.

"Nice to see you too, House" she said noticing how, strangely, his eyes weren't on her face, or cleavage as she had gotten used to expecting, but rather, they were focusing on her stomach.

"Yea …" he half bit his lip "anyway, patient" he said holding up a case file and starting to limp away.

"He didn't look strange to me" Cuddy lied

Wilson arched an eyebrow and looked at her "you don't think him coming to check on you is strange?"

"Well, I …" but Wilson, ever the perceptive guy, cut her off.

"Is there something I don't know, here?" he asked

"I … uh …"

"Cuddy …"

"Well, I …" she started, after all, this was Wilson, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it to herself.

"Lisa …" he said in a half-persuasive, half-warning tone

"Well, it's just that, uh, a few months ago, after … um … Joy" Wilson nodded "Well, we …"

"Kissed, yes I know" said Wilson hoping to move things along to where he knew they were going

"…ah, yes … and then, we … uh …"

"Had sex" said Wilson matter of fact-ly

"He told you?" she asked in a shocked half scream

Chuckling to himself, proud of having figured it out, Wilson shook his head "No, actually I'm surprised he didn't call me straight up and boast … but, so? You had sex … it wasn't the first time so …" but he cut himself off, surprise suddenly flooding his face "No!"

Cuddy merely looked at the growing bump on her abdomen.

"He's … but you said it was"

"IVF, I know" she said "You think I should have told the truth?" she asked knowing he would answer no.

"Well, he is House, but …" Cuddy raised her eyebrows "…no" he shook his head.

"Exactly …" she sighed

"So? What are you going to do?" he asked her

"What do you mean?" she asked back confused

"Well, what if he figures it out? Won't it be worse than if you just tell him?" he asked

She shook her head "worse than him telling me that he has no interest in it? That it's just a parasite? No, at least by the time he figures it out, it'll be here already" she said

"Fine …" as Wilson was about to add something, a case file came flying at him and he ducked just in time "what the?"

"Its cancer" said House "My idiots actually thought it was more …" with that, he took a seat in a chair facing directly at Cuddy's bed "What we talking about he asked?"

"Uh, why are you here?" asked Wilson

"Usually, when the ducklings screw up, I barge into your office and vent … you've obviously moved here, so" he held up his hands as if he'd just performed a magic trick "here I am!"

"Yes, but, I'm about to go check on my patient …"

"You don't have a patient …" said House now seeming very interested in the machines Cuddy was hooked up to.

"Uh, House?" asked Wilson holding up the case file that he'd been attacked with moments earlier "Yea I do…"

"Oh! That …" said House shrugging "he's terminal, a few more minutes won't kill him …"

"Uh … actually, that's what 'Terminal' means" said Wilson standing up, for the first time noticing that Cuddy was silent and very interested in looking at the foetal monitor to her left "Well, I'm off, I'll leave you to it…" he nodded at each in turn and left, a grin creeping on his face as he thought of the awkwardness that would surely ensue.

"So … you're looking particularly … round today" said House wondering why on earth he'd wanted to say 'beautiful'.

"Gee, thanks" she replied flatly but knowing full well that there was a smile trying to creep up her face.

"So …" he started thinking what he should say while twirling his cane between his fingers "…everything, uh…"

"Yes, House, everything is good" she sighed

"Ok then … uh …" he looked at the door, suddenly wishing he could run out, but thinking he'd settle for limping out

"Go …" she said with a sigh pointing at the door.

Without any further exchange, House left and Cuddy leaned her head back on the pillows in exhasperation.

* * *

**TBC**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N: **__Hey, sorry for the wait and thank you all for your lovely reviews! They really make me feel happy :D_

_Also, I'd like to send a special thanks to my two Portuguese readers: _joraco14 and HuddyChild. Ainda bem que andam Portuguêses por ai :D

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"House!" yelled Wilson as the door banged open "I'm with a patient"

"Yea, he's sitting right there … I see him" said House with a mocking look "I'll just sit here and wait" with that, he took a seat on Wilson's couch and, trying to ignore him, Wilson continued with his patient

"So, the treatment would be a 21 …"

"So, basically you're done for!" said House standing up and looking at the patient "Go home, talk to your family, kiss the kids. Don't waste your time with him" he said nodding at Wilson who merely exhaled "trust me, he isn't worth it"

After 'nicely' leading the man out of the room, House fell into Wilson's visitor's chair and placed his bad leg up on it while twirling his cane.

Wilson sighed again; he obviously wanted him to start "what's going …"

Before he could finish, House interrupted him "Cuddy's baby is mine"

Shocked that House was telling him this more than at the fact that House knew, Wilson sat back in his chair "Ok …"

"But she didn't tell me…"

"Right …" said Wilson tentatively leaning forwards so his elbows were resting on his desk "… how do you feel about that?"

"Why do you think I'm here? You tell me!" said House sounding like a little boy who hadn't gotten what he wanted, or rather, a little boy who had gotten what he wanted and didn't know how to deal with the consequences.

"Well, since I'm not the one who got the boss woman pregnant, I wouldn't know ..." he replied

Sighing, House looked at the door to ensure it was closed "I feel, uh …"

"Strangely happy?" asked Wilson knowing House would never own up to it in time for his next appointment "wanting to not care but caring?"

House just stared at him, he'd always known there was a reason he and Wilson were best friends, and it obviously wasn't just because they both drooled over Cuddy and liked cold beers after work.

"Am I even close?" he asked sighing

House merely bit his lower lip and released it, something Wilson had learnt meant he didn't want to talk about it, because emotions were involved and House hated emotions. And, if there were emotions involved, that meant that House actually cared, because if he didn't, he would have just walked into Cuddy's room and told her so.

"House … you care" he said in a 'ha ha, I know your secret' kind of tone

"No I don't …"

"Yes you do …" said Wilson smiling "Other wise, you wouldn't be here, you wouldn't need my advice … you like Cuddy and you like the baby, oh" he mocked "sorry, foetus"

"I don't like Cuddy …" said House in the least convincing voice Wilson had ever heard him adopt

"Sure, and that's why you went over to her place and had sex with her" he said smiling

"I did that because she's hot! And, as I already knew, is great in bed"

Wilson shook his head "If that were the reason, you would have called me to brag about it … but you didn't … you _like_ her" he repeated in a sing song voice.

"Stop it" said House with a glare "no I don't"

"You really like her!" repeated Wilson, now full-out mocking him.

Looking angry, House stood up and limped to the door.

* * *

Walking through the halls to his office, House passed by Cuddy's room and found himself stopping as he watched Cameron doing another ultrasound, Cuddy beaming up at the screen.

Hanging his head, House turned on his heels and walked back to Wilson's office.

* * *

"Sorry, I'm dying faster" he said to the patient who was about to enter the room as he cut in front of him, opened the door and shut it behind the dying man's face.

Walking back to the seat he'd occupied mere minutes earlier, House propped his feet back on the desk and started twirling his cane again.

"Uh…" was the only sound Wilson could think of making as he looked at House

After a moment of silence, House finally spoke with a frustrated sigh "I like her …"

"Ok…" said Wilson, his brow furrowed, a look of shock, confusion and exasperation covering his face "…tell me something I don't know?"

House just looked at him, his cane still twirling between his fingers "I don't like her"

"What? I thought you just said you did" said Wilson

"Yea, and I didn't get the right response from you, so I thought I'd try again" he stopped twirling his cane and hung his head "I _like_ her …"

Wilson couldn't help but laugh at the disappointed tone in which House spoke "Well, tell her …"

"What? I can't tell her!" yelled House

"Why? Because she'll want you to be part of the baby's life?" asked Wilson sitting down in front of House. When House didn't reply, he suddenly understood "No! Because you think she _wouldn't_ want you in the baby's life?"

House didn't reply. And Wilson no longer knew what to say. This wasn't the Greg House he knew. House never cared, he didn't let people know it when he got hurt, or experienced any kind of human emotion, and yet, here he was.

"Uh…"

"Can you say something more helpful than that?" asked House

"Well, I'm really not who you should be talking to … I think you should just go to her, tell her you know … you might be surprised" he said hoping that his two friends would solve things without him having to meddle.

House just shook his head "Nope. I'm not talking to her" and just as Wilson was about to open his mouth to speak, he added "and neither are you …" he looked threateningly at him.

Wilson merely held his hands up in surrender and watched as House popped two Vicodin and left for his office.

* * *

"25 year old male, presenting with dizziness, head aches, blurred vision and speech confusion … go" said House as he entered the room.

The four doctors sitting around the table proceeded to fire several possible causes of such symptoms and, not really in the mood to hear anymore, House sent them off to do all and any tests possible while he just sat back and relaxed.

It had been two days since his conversation with Wilson and he had, thankfully, not brought it up again. Quite uncharacteristically, House found himself passing by Cuddy's room much more than he actually needed to and each time he found it harder to walk away.

This being in love thing really didn't work for him. He couldn't focus, suddenly, he wasn't focused on the puzzle anymore, he had no interest in insulting Foreman or throwing lesbian quips at thirteen. It made him, well, not him, and he didn't like it.

But then there was the feeling. The strange tingling and the ever erupting smiles and Greg House was no longer miserable. Or, rather, he was miserable but for completely different reasons. Being a doctor, he knew better than to say the emotion was making his leg feel better, but the truth was that he wasn't taking as many Vicodin. Actually, maybe being in love _did_ work for House, just not in the ways that he would have chosen.

"House!" came an angry voice from the door way that he hadn't expected to hear.

Looking up, he saw Lisa Cuddy, for the first time in three days, in her own clothes, her face less pale than before and her hair looking quite a bit better.

"Doctor Cuddy, back to terrorizing us, are we?" he asked placing a foot on his desk.

"Cuddy!" came Wilson's voice from somewhere beyond House's view followed by footsteps "What did we say? No working! I already agreed to let you into your office, now you will not go marching around!"

"Oops!" said House with a mocking voice "Someone's in trouble"

"I can't believe you just let them go off and do whatever tests came to mind!" she said moving closer to his desk and slamming a sheet of A4 paper in front of him "do you have _any_ idea how much money they used up on tests?" she asked

"Uh … the patient has insurance!" he said looking innocent, the bump on Cuddy's stomach making it harder and harder for him to keep up any kind of mocking tone.

"Do you think his insurance will pay for all of this?" she asked slamming the file on his desk "half these tests are _completely_ unnecessary!"

"Well, we don't want to leave any stone unturned, make sure he isn't _hiding _anything from us" he said pointedly seeing Wilson flinch slightly.

"Why can't you just ask him?" she asked in a slightly softer tone

"Because, _Cuddy_, people _lie_" he said standing up, towering over her always did give him a sense of power.

"Not everybody, _House_" she replied looking up at the man standing across the desk from her.

From the sidelines, Wilson could do nothing but sigh. This was so typical, they always seemed to find some way of turning even a purely professional argument about the case into something personal.

"From my experience, practically _everybody_ lies" he replied looking down into her blue eyes.

This was one of the side effects of being in love that House hated. The constant need to be close to her, even when she was yelling at him, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her; it wasn't what he did, though, that would mean she'd won that battle she didn't know she was fighting.

"House, just tell your fellows to drop any further unnecessary tests, please" she said with no patience to argue. With that, she walked out and, after looking at House with a knowing look, Wilson followed.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N: **__Thank you all so much for the reviews, they really keep me going!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

So Cuddy was back. House wasn't quite sure what to feel about that. With Cuddy back at work, he'd have to remain the same insensitive ass he'd always been, he couldn't let her know that anything had changed, because as soon as he did, that'd be that, she'd have one, and Greg house was not one to take losing lightly. But how on earth was he supposed to work with her everyday and listen to her constant yelling when all he wanted to do was kiss her, touch her, and just be with her.

"House?" came Wilson's voice from the doorway

"Hm?"

"You do know Cuddy's coming back today, right?" he asked walking in and closing the door.

"Yes, Dr. Wilson, I am well aware that the boss woman will be back today" he replied taking his feet off the desk and leaning back in his chair.

"Are you really going to keep this up?" his friend asked taking a seat across the desk from him.

"Keep what up?" asked House in his most innocent voice

"House" Wilson spoke looking over his shoulder to ensure that no one was around "you _like_ her"

"I am well aware" said house throwing the ball against the wall to emphasise his point

"Yes, but, why don't you say anything? Why…"

"Why doesn't _she _say anything? Why does it have to be me? She's the one hiding …" but he broke off unable to actually state what she was hiding from him.

"House, she thinks you'd just reject her and the baby, she's scared!" said Wilson, now thoroughly pissed off at his friend's stubbornness "You want in on this, you want to be a part of it. She wants you to be a part of it, hell _I_ want you to be a part of it … stop being so damn stubborn!"

Suddenly there was a knock on the door which, much like a bell in a boxing match, saved house from having to answer.

"Dr. Wilson?" it was the oncologist's secretary "Uh, there's a phone call for you, it sounds urgent"

Nodding, Wilson stood to follow the young woman, turning back to House and shaking his head; the man would never learn.

* * *

"Welcome back, Dr. Cuddy!" said a happy Cameron as she saw her boss walk in the front doors of the hospital.

"Thank you, Cameron"

"Are you feeling better?" asked the younger woman

"Actually, I feel absolutely stuffed, haven't eaten so much in a _long_ time" she explained placing a hand on her stomach.

"Uh, may I?" asked Cameron placing a hand next to hers and feeling what she didn't know was House's child kick.

From the elevator, Greg House watched the scene. Cuddy's smile as she felt the baby kick, he wanted to be a part of that, he really wanted to be the one feeling the little kick, but he couldn't he just wasn't that man. So, mentally shaking himself, he walked past them without a glance or word.

Seeing Cuddy's face as she looked at the diagnostician, Cameron straightened and looked at him too. Even his posture was miserable as he stood at the nurses' desk, flipping through files looking for something minimally more interesting than his Gameboy.

"Do you think he'll ever be happy?" asked the young doctor whose heart had always held a special place for House.

Cuddy sighed "he's too proud to let anyone else make him happy. In his world, it's all about Greg …" with that and a sigh, Cuddy nodded to Cameron and walked through the clinic doors to her office.

* * *

The next few weeks were much the same as they'd always been. House went to work, insulted patients, saved the day, had a couple complaints filed against him each day, went home, drank scotch and fell asleep on the couch.

Well, the next few weeks appeared to be the same as always. But as Cuddy entered her 6th month of pregnancy, Greg House's inner self was as different from the 'norm' as it'd ever been, and it was driving him insane. He kept telling himself, everyday, that he didn't want it, he didn't want to be with Cuddy, he didn't want the kid, he was better off being himself. But he was intelligent enough to know that, no matter how much he lied to himself and Wilson, the truth was he was burning to walk into her office and just tell her everything, how he felt, what he wanted and what she meant to him.

Lisa Cuddy was in no better situation. Sure, on the outside, aside from the obviously growing abdomen, she was as normal as ever. She ran her hospital with a firm hand, dealt with the head of Diagnostics with an even firmer one and appeared to everyone who saw her, to be a happy and successful woman. But the ache inside her that told her she needed him was threatening to speak louder than all her self confidence and professionalism. The need to have him by her side, the tears she shed at every ultrasound, not because of the fact that she was going to be a mother but because he wasn't there with her, the tug on her heart as she saw him dry-swallow two Vicodin before begrudgingly following a patient into an exam room, all of it was starting to break her defences, and she knew it.

Wilson, ever the perceptive sidekick, had no idea what to do. He couldn't betray House's confidence by telling Cuddy what the diagnostician knew and wanted and he couldn't betray Cuddy's confidence by telling House that what she wanted was essentially the same thing that he wanted. But then again, it was becoming increasingly difficult to merely sit back and watch as the two stared at each other, permanently missing the other's stare by milliseconds. So, the only conclusion Wilson could reach was that he had to do _something_.

"I didn't realise it was time for the check in" said Cuddy in a harsh tone as Wilson walked into her office.

Smiling, Wilson ignored it, after all, a woman with that many hormones coursing through her and a head of Diagnostics who was a bigger pain in the ass than labour would be, couldn't be expected be have a very sunny disposition.

Seeing his smile, Cuddy's face softened "Sorry, still haven't quite got the grip of this hormone thing" she explained.

"It's fine" he replied taking a seat on her couch as she took one opposite him "I just wanted to make sure you were ok" he said

"I'm fine, I'm just so tired!" she said rubbing a hand over her face "And, uh …" she hung her head "… could he just ease up on the jerkiness for, oh, I don't know, three months?" she asked

"House?" asked Wilson as she nodded "Honestly? I think he's worse now than he was before this whole, uh, before you got pregnant"

"So it isn't just me" she said with a sigh

Wilson shook his head "No, I think it's actually really getting to him" he said "I, uh …"

How was Wilson supposed to say this without betraying his best friend?

"… uh, I think he, uh, cares"

"Cares?" asked Cuddy not sure what the simple word meant, exactly.

"Well, I don't know, he's been more miserable than usual, as seen by the fact that he's making both of us more miserable than usual, your pregnancy is bothering him"

"Well, I'm sorry for the inconvenience" she said in a tone that dripped sarcasm and bitterness.

"Hey, I'm not the one with the problem, remember? I'm the one who's thrilled for you"

"I know, Wilson, just ignore the snappiness" she said with a smile.

"I always do" he replied with another smile before continuing "I really think he likes, uh, you, Cuddy" when she scoffed, he continued "No, I'm serious, I haven't seen him this miserable since Stacy left, and he loved her, so I can only assume that him having the same reaction to the pregnancy means that he …"

"What?" she cut him off "Loves me? He acts like a jerk 24/7, he makes it his priority to make my life miserable, he hasn't even once asked about me, how I'm doing or … trust me, Wilson he doesn't care. It was one stupid night and while I, obviously, don't regret it, I'm sure he does"

"Do you love him?" asked Wilson, figuring getting straight to the point was better than letting her squirm her way away from the subject.

"I … uh …" she felt trapped. Answering 'yes' meant that she was vulnerable that, if House ever found out, he'd know just how much he affected her. On the other hand, answering 'no' was a flat out lie, and Wilson was such a good friend she didn't want to lie to him.

"Cuddy?" he asked examining her face as emotions flashed on it.

"I uh, I think I, uh, might?" she sort of asked. There. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the dangerous truth either.

Inwardly, Wilson sighed of relief. Ok, so maybe he would be able to get something out of the situation for his friends.

"Might? You either do or you don't …" he said, he needed to be sure. House was his best friend and, as much of a jack ass as he was, Wilson still felt it was his duty to ensure that he didn't get hurt; for everyone's sake.

"I … it's not that east, Wilson, he's uh…"

"House" Wilson nodded "and as far as I know, he really likes you, Cuddy. You have to stop this … I know you want him to be a part of this" he spoke calmly as a single tear fell from Cuddy's clear blue eye.

"I do … but …"

"No 'buts', Cuddy. You know he'll never be the grownup; he'll never be the one to do what's necessary or act mature in any way. You want him to be a part of this …"

"But he won't want to be …" she began

"Cuddy …" Wilson spoke pointedly hoping that she'd understand that he knew more than he was telling her "… you need to be the one to take a step, he might retreat, or he might meet you half way … but you need to at least give it a try, damn it …" there, he was angry again.

"He won't meet me at half-way, Wilson, he'll run as far from me as he can get … I can't take that" she said, another tear rolling down her cheek

Sighing, Wilson got up to leave "Look, just, try. You might be surprised" he said

Turning around in her seat so that she was facing him as he placed his hand on the door knob, Cuddy asked "do you know more than you're telling me?" It was important to know. She knew that Wilson had probably talked to House, she knew that he probably knew more about what House felt than, uh, House himself did. And she also knew that, if James Wilson knew more than he was letting on, she needed to know what it was.

"Cuddy …" he spoke again pointedly, his tone alone telling her that he did, in fact, knew more than he was telling her "… just, give it a try, be the grown up, show him what you want"

With that, he was gone. Still looking out the door that Wilson had just walked through, Cuddy noticed the end of a cane disappearing into an exam room and sighed. Wilson made it sound so easy, so why did she feel it was the hardest thing she'd ever do?

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N: **__Hey, well apparently I did manage to post again before Christmas :D I hope you like the chapter and, seeing as it's Christmas eve, I hope you all have an amazing Christmas! :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

And that's how she ended up there: standing, in the cold, staring at the light in his living room. She was pretty sure she wasn't going to go in, but just standing there made her feel like, somehow, she was taking a step. Well, in any case, at least it was a start.

She wasn't about to barge into his house, six months pregnant, declare her, apparently, undying love for him, tell him that the child she was carrying was his and beg him to love her back, to be a father to the little boy or girl she was carrying and to stop being himself. Partly because she was pretty sure that it would be fruitless and partly because she didn't really want him to stop being himself. Somehow, the abrasive personality, the snide comments, racist remarks, offensive quips and the overall outrageous character that was House had grown on her and, sure she'd like a little more peace and quiet, but she didn't want him to change. Changed House would be, well, not House. He wouldn't be breaking into her office constantly to either do something illegal or look for proof that she was a lesbian, he wouldn't be as fixated on his job, he wouldn't go to all and any levels to fix a patient; he just simply wouldn't be the man she loved. Besides, like any love struck woman, she didn't believe that what she knew of House was all there was, she kept hope that, somewhere deep inside him, he had a different persona, one that was as dedicated and unique as the one he let surface, but one that also allowed him to love, to be loved and to, even if only for a bit, be happy.

As she saw movement in the house, she leaned back on her car. He was playing guitar. Standing with his back to the window, she saw him fiddle with the amp before straightening, steadying himself on his good leg and playing a first, outrageously loud, chord.

When she saw the lights in the neighbouring houses go on, Cuddy figured it was time to leave. After all, she wouldn't want to be caught by her favourite diagnostician, standing outside his house, when all his neighbours hammered on his door to stop his beautiful playing of the Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water"

* * *

After slamming the door in his next door neighbour, Mr. Jones' face, House looked at his guitar and, deciding the mood for playing was gone, threw himself on his couch, his right leg hovering awkwardly over the leather seat as he settled into his new position.

He knew Thirteen, Taub and Kutner were probably still at the hospital, trying to figure out why their 68 year old cancer patient was dying of something other than cancer, he knew that Cameron was probably at Chase's home, and Foreman was probably sitting in his boss' office, dreaming of the impossible day when it'd be his. But where was she? He'd called her house. He wasn't sure why, but he'd called her house, the phone had rang and rang and in the end, all he'd gotten was her professional voice: _I'm not in right now, so leave a message_.

Well, at least he'd put down the receiver before his call got registered. Afterwards, looking at the receiver as it rested comfortably on its holder, he'd come to the conclusion that he was losing it. He would _never_ have randomly called Cuddy, not without a pre-planned scheme to annoy her or get her out of bed in the middle of the night. He wouldn't have. But he had. And that fact was what had led him to his trusted bottle of scotch and guitar.

Now, lying on his couch, House looked over at his television and groaned. When not even the prospect of watching porn made Greg House happy, he knew he was in trouble.

* * *

Hospital.

Job.

Puzzle.

Cuddy.

When only one of those thoughts made House want to get out of bed, he sat and leaned forwards, his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees, his thoughts completely lost.

* * *

"I have a problem" was the sentence Wilson heard as his door slammed open and Greg House marched in.

"Well, people do say admitting it is the first step …"

"I have a serious problem … there's something wrong with my brain"

Wilson sighed "at the risk of sounding redundant, tell me something I don't know" when House merely glared back at him, Wilson sighed again "would this 'something' be a 5ft 4 hospital administrator with grey-green eyes and a killer rack?"

When House merely hung his head, Wilson got his answer

"House …" he started in an impatient tone "… if it's that bad, if it's bothering you that much, will you just talk to her? _Please_? For _all_ our sakes …"

"Why doesn't …"

"Stop asking me why she won't talk to you! I don't know! I'm not the 5 foot 4 grey-green eyed hospital administrator with a rack you've been drooling over for over 20 years!" Wilson almost shouted "You two have a problem … actually, you have something that, to sane people, isn't a problem, but hey, who ever said you two were normal? Just … ugh!"

"Wow, Jimmy …" said House in a half mocking, half genuinely surprised tone "… tell us how you really feel …"

Not in the mood to walk House through another differential on his love life, Wilson merely glared at his friend until he got the hint and, raising his hands in mock-surrender, left.

* * *

"Go ask Cuddy" said House staring at his white board.

Surprised that her boss was passing up a chance to go and annoy the Dean of Medicine, Thirteen asked "why don't y…"

"What are you still doing here?" asked House quickly looking over his shoulder

Looking at Taub, Kutner and Foreman, Thirteen searched for what to do. When they all shrugged their shoulders at her, she nodded and, with a last questioning look at her boss, left towards the clinic.

* * *

"Dr. Hadley, you know as well as I do that I can't sign off on that procedure without a confirmed diagnosis … You're asking me to basically kill a 68 year old cancer patient so that you can confirm your suspicion that she's dying of something other than cancer … where's Dr. House?" asked Cuddy putting down the file and looking at the younger doctor.

"Uh, he asked me to come … I don't …" began Thirteen as Cuddy stood and motioned for her to follow.

* * *

"House!"

"Ruh-oh" mocked House turning from his board to Cuddy who was now standing at the door to his office, Thirteen standing behind her.

"Are you serious?" she asked holding up the file and walking towards the diagnostician.

"I usually am … oh, wait …"

"You know perfectly well I can't sign off on this without a confirmed diagnosis! You'll kill her …" began Cuddy

"Uh, that's kinda the point …" began Foreman but shut up when both House and Cuddy glared at him.

"You 5 go, do something productive … or unproductive, I don't really care …" said House looking at them quickly before returning to the staring contest that Cuddy was trying to win.

At his words, Cuddy's heart began to beat faster in her chest and, as a consequence, the baby started to kick like mad. Had House just asked his fellows to leave him alone with her?

"Just sign the sheet, Cuddy" he said taking a step back and looking at the board, the short space between them starting to affect him.

"Why didn't _you_ come to ask me?" she asked taking a step towards him, figuring she'd found the perfect way to intimidate him.

"I have employees for a reason …" he said feeling slightly trapped but not letting her see it.

"Really?" she asked, an evil grin creeping on her face "because I think you're avoiding me …"

"Now why would I do that?" he asked challenging her back

Looking down at the inflated stomach between them, she looked back up at him and just stared. It was a moment very similar to the one that had led to the conception of the child that was furiously kicking her insides. They both registered the closing distance between them. They both felt like their hearts were going to leap out of their chests.

"Ah, here you are …" came Wilson's voice from the door way making the two spring apart like teenagers caught in the back seat of a parent's car "…ah"

Wilson silently cursed himself, judging by the space between them, even after the spring apart, had he not entered, they would have kissed. Sure, that would have meant that he'd have found them furiously making out, but hey, at least they'd have both gotten what they wanted.

Nodding at Cuddy and Wilson, House made a quick limp for his office and, closing the transparent glass door behind him, sat in his chair, put his headphones over his head, and got lost in the sound of music.

Next door, Cuddy and Wilson just stared at each other for a while. Looking towards his friend's office, Wilson certified that he was too busy to hear them and asked "what was that?"

"Nothing …" said Cuddy, quickly brushing what had almost happened off before Wilson had a chance to make something of it.

"Ok…" he said sounding everything but convinced.

"Anyway, you were looking for me?" she asked

"Yes, I need you to look over a patient file …"

After obliging, Cuddy headed for her office while Wilson headed for his.

* * *

Now safely seated in her office, Cuddy felt the tears threaten to fall. A few seconds later, the threat became reality and she sobbed freely. They would have kissed. She wanted it so much; she wanted and needed _him_ so much.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS and please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N: **__Here's chapter 7! :D I hope you all had a great Christmas, and thank you all for your reviews._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

That night, House was calmly strumming his 1000 $ guitar and sipping scotch when the phone started incessantly ringing beside him.

"What?" he asked, obviously annoyed at the interruption.

"_It's Wilson"_ came the oncologist's voice from the other end

"Yes, I gather that from the caller ID, what do you want?" he asked again.

"_Its Cuddy …_"Those mere words were enough to get House into a full sitting position, his Scotch forgotten on the table the phone had come from, his guitar lying at his feet "_… she called me, she was having pain, she's at the hospital now, but the doctors aren't holding too much hope…"_

House didn't understand this. Well, he understood what Wilson had just told him, he was, after all, a rational human being with an extensive vocabulary. But what he was feeling, the sudden nervousness and beating heart, that was all new to him, and, while he _did_ understand where it all came from, he wasn't quite ready to admit it.

"_House?_" came Wilson's concerned voice from the phone "_… you there_?"

"Yea, yea … I, uh, I'll be right there"

And with that, House dropped the phone onto its holder and, grabbing his cane and keys, headed towards the hospital at a speed which, he was sure, substantially surpassed the legal speed limit.

* * *

"House! Here!" called Wilson sticking his head out of one of the hospital's best patient rooms.

Approaching the glass doors, House saw Cuddy, asleep, her face paler than in had been the last time she'd been in hospital, the glow that had been surrounding her for the past months somehow lost. And again his heart made its presence known.

Luckily, Wilson wasted no time in waiting for House to ask the questions "She had contractions. The amniotic sac is fine, dilation is minimal, but the baby did go into distress for a while. Everything is fine now, but she's really scared. She needs u…" before Wilson could finish his sentence, House nodded and took a step closer to Cuddy, looking down at her and all the machines hooked to her chest, abdomen, arms and hands.

This was a look Wilson had never seen on his friend's face. Concern. Pure, unadulterated concern. It was strange, scary, refreshing and a little daunting. Apparently all the stories and books were right, males were naturally protective of their offspring and females, and not even Greg House's many metaphorical brick walls and barbed wire fences could keep out the concern displayed on his face.

Recognizing that House was no longer aware of his presence, let alone of what he was saying, Wilson decided to do what he should have done that morning, and walked out the door, leaving House and Cuddy alone.

Suddenly, House didn't want to hide anymore, he didn't want to keep up the sarcasm, he didn't want to beat Cuddy at whatever unspoken game they'd picked for the week, he didn't want a puzzle to solve, he didn't want any of it. He just wanted her to open her eyes, to smile at him, to be the same Cuddy she'd always been, the same woman he'd loved for years.

Unconsciously, House drew the blinds on the glass walls of the room and found a seat in the chair across from the bed. If what Wilson had told him was true, and there was no reason for him to think it wasn't, then Cuddy would need her sleep, and for some reason, he was determined to sit there until she woke, and after that, he was pretty sure his new self would stay in that same seat until she was ready to leave.

* * *

Hazy.

That was the world Cuddy woke up to. She had been pumped full of several drugs and her body, just awaking from a long sleep, wasn't exactly happy at their presence.

Lisa, finally focusing on the world around her, took in her surroundings. Machines, cables, needles, drips. Suddenly it all came flooding back to her, the pain, the fear, the doctors … And then she spotted him. She was pretty sure he hadn't been there the previous night, actually, she was sure, she'd called Wilson, he'd rushed over, gotten in the ambulance with her, but there'd been no House. There was no logical reason for him to be there. And yet, there he was, fast asleep in a chair that she was sure was only slightly more comfortable than the floor it stood on, his head hanging slightly to one side, his cane leaning against the wall behind him and his right hand covering his thigh, either as a protective gesture or as an indication of pain; she wasn't sure which. But his mere presence made her feel better, calmer, less fearful.

He stirred. His head moved slowly back into line with the rest of his body, bobbed in place a couple of times and fell quickly towards his chest, the size of his ego obviously too big to be held up. In her bed, Cuddy laughed silently.

At the sudden movement of his head, House woke, the offensive body part shooting up so that he could now look at something other than his crumpled, un-ironed t-shirt. Cuddy. Hospital room. Pain. Deciding the latter was the one to deal with first, House instinctively reached for his Vicodin and popped two into his mouth. And as the pain subsided, the previous night flooded back to him, and his eyes shot quickly to the beautiful woman in front of him. Blue locked on blue and mouths simultaneously opened to talk.

"I…" began Cuddy

"Uh…" started House

At that very moment, and as had become customary, Wilson walked in the door. Of course, had House not drawn the blinds, the oncologist would have been able to see what was happening in the room and would probably have walked away, but House had, and so Wilson didn't.

"Morni…" he started and stopped in his tracks as Cuddy's eyes turned to him and House sank back into his chair "…ng"

"Moring Wilson" said Cuddy with a smile.

"You feeling better?" he asked looking at all the machines.

Cuddy nodded, in fact, she wasn't physically feeling anything "Yea, much better" she replied, relief apparent in her voice.

"Good" smiled Wilson as he turned to House "morning, sleeping beauty"

House shot him a sarcastic smile "morning"

"Why so pleasant?" asked Wilson moving around Cuddy's bed to the foetal monitor to check for any problems.

"Stiff chair" groaned House standing and holding onto his cane while he rubbed his leg.

Laughing a bit, Wilson smiled at Cuddy, a clear indication that he found no problem with the foetal monitor "Doesn't look like anything's wrong, but Dr. Bates is on his way, just to be safe" he explained

"No" came a friendly voice from the doorway "Dr. Bates is here" he smiled at Cuddy and Wilson before spotting House "Dr. House, are you lost?"

Fake-smiling at the obstetrician, House felt a series of sarcastic comments form in his brain, but somehow, a simple look at Cuddy made them vanish "No, just came to check on a colleague" he replied instead. _Way to be inconspicuous, Greg_ he mentally kicked himself, knowing that none of the three doctors in front of him would buy what he had just said. Though, he guessed, it was better than telling them the truth, that would have definitely got them laughing.

"Right" answered the obstetrician, wondering what drugs the man was one this time "Anyway, Dr. Cuddy, we'd better check if everything's ok" looking at Wilson and House, he continued "Would you gentlemen" she hesitated her eyes on House at the word "excuse us for a bit?"

Nodding, Wilson made his way to the door, but turned back to find House hesitating. He saw the internal battle within the diagnostician, he saw how he wanted to say that no, that he was staying, because the exams concerned _his_ child and the woman he loved, but he also saw the frightened, vulnerable guy that he was fighting the other guy, willing his legs to move, willing his arm to move the cane, and willing his whole body to leave the room. Ultimately, it was the latter that won, and House followed Wilson out the door, leaving Cuddy looking after him, wondering exactly what he had been thinking for those few seconds.

Wilson had never expected House to be able to voice his feelings, but he felt that the simple fact that the fight had been visible, that the feelings were getting closer to the surface was a good sign. And he hoped that soon, the real House would be able to break down the one he'd put up for all those years and do what he wanted to do, what Cuddy wanted him to do, and what their baby needed him to do.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"So?" asked Wilson when he and House had been allowed back in the room.

"Bed rest" sighed Cuddy looking everything but pleased "for the next three months"

Wilson couldn't help but smile, knowing that Cuddy would hate not being able to be at the hospital, ordering people around and ensuring that her hospital ran smoothly.

"It's not funny" she said glaring at him, a hint of a smile playing on her face; she was obviously relieved that it wasn't anything worse.

"Are you going to stay here, or are you going home?" asked Wilson

Cuddy thought about it for a moment, as much as she liked the hospital, she was sure she'd much rather spend time in her own bed "home" she replied

From the corner of his eye, Wilson caught House's face and realised that his friend was thinking the same as him "fine, but I'm going with you" he said to Cuddy, not thinking she should be alone.

Sighing, Cuddy knew there was no way she was going to change the oncologist's mind and so nodded.

* * *

"How's Cuddy?" asked Taub as House entered the room

"Why so worried?" asked the grumpy Boss limping on his cane more than usual "She'll be fine. She's on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy, but other than that, she's fine"

"Bed rest?" asked Thirteen "So it _is_ serious"

"Like I said, she's fine, can we focus on _our_ patient?" he asked

"Uh, House?" started Foreman "We don't have a patient"

Confused, House looked around the room "Then why are you all still here? Don't you have homes to go to?" he asked

Looking between themselves, the four employees shrugged and figured they'd better take that opportunity to go home.

* * *

"What's with him?" asked Kutner as he, Foreman, Thirteen and Taub entered the elevator.

"I heard he spent the night in Cuddy's room" said Taub as the elevator began to move

"He wouldn't do that" countered Foreman checking his watch

"I don't know …" said Thirteen

* * *

"Dr. Bates!" called Cuddy as she saw the obstetrician pass her room "Hi"

"Oh, hello Dr. Cuddy. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, but, uh, when exactly can I go home?" she asked, starting to really hate her hospital room and all the machines she was hooked up to.

"Well, you haven't had any further contractions, the Baby's heart rate is back to normal, I think soon is our best bet, probably tomorrow afternoon. But I'd like to keep you overnight, just to be safe" replied the kind doctor.

Sighing and leaning back onto the pillows, Cuddy nodded and Dr. Bates left the room.

* * *

That night, while Cuddy slept, House silently made his way into the room. This time, he wasn't going to stay, that would just raise suspicion and, while he was barely ok with letting Cuddy realise his feelings, he had no intention of letting everyone else figure them out too.

Standing there for a few minutes, House's mind travelled all the way back to their college days when she'd been a mere under grad and he'd been her tutor. He couldn't believe it had been over 20 years, what was more, he couldn't believe that in all that time, he'd never managed to admit his feelings, to himself, or to anyone.

Sighing as she shifted slightly in her sleep, House made his way out the door and headed home.

* * *

"Are you ready to go?" asked Wilson, the next afternoon as he helped Cuddy onto the wheelchair they'd brought up for her.

Smiling happily up at him, Cuddy nodded, her large iron-framed bed seeming more inviting than ever.

"Alright, do you need anything from your office?" he asked her.

"No, I have everything" she replied

* * *

Once in her house, Wilson decided to help Cuddy into the bed in her guest bedroom rather than help her go upstairs seeing as the last thing he wanted was for her to be moving up and down stairs when she needed things. The doctor had said she was only allowed to move when absolutely necessary, i.e. when she needed to go to the bathroom or eat. And even that, Wilson was trying to do for her. He had already told her in the car that he would be spending the night there, much to her displeasure. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate what her friend was doing for her, but Lisa Cuddy had always taken care of herself, she had always been an independent, bright and successful woman and, somehow going through the pregnancy alone was, to her, another proof of who she was. It was probably stupid, she was well aware of that, but that didn't change that that was how she felt. And being treated like she was helpless was the last thing she wanted.

"James, really, I'll be fine. Look, I'm in bed. I have plenty of food around me, and the bathroom is less than 30 feet away" she tried again to convince him.

"Cuddy, it's just for tonight, please. I wouldn't feel ok leaving you alone …" he said just as his cell began to ring "excuse me"

"Wilson" he answered when he was out in the living room

"_How is she?_" asked the male voice on the other side. A male voice Wilson recognized as belonging to Greg House and yet the sentence wasn't something he associated with the diagnostician.

"Uh, she's fine, she wants me to leave"

"_Are you going to?_" asked House immediately thinking it was a bad idea.

"I wasn't planning on it, no" replied the oncologist

Wilson could have sworn he heard a '_good_' come out of his cell phone, but just as he thought of asking House what he'd said, his friend bid him goodbye and clicked off.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR and please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_**A/N: **__Here's chapter 9 :D … _

_Oh, and Happy 2009! _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Cameron asked Wilson as she turned away from House.

"She kicked me out … used the old, "I'm your boss and you have to go to work" line …" he explained looking up at House who, he knew, was everything but happy that Cuddy was home alone.

"Is she alone?" asked Cameron looking concerned

"Well, yes …" replied Wilson figuring the answer was pretty obvious "I think I'll go by at lunch time, though, just to be safe" he added looking at House.

Once Cameron had nodded and left, the oncologist turned to House "Aren't you going to call her?" he asked

"Why?" House counter-asked flipping through a clinic file

Sighing, Wilson figured it was pointless explaining it to him again and so simply told House to forget it and headed off to his office, leaving House perfectly aware of why he should call Cuddy, strongly wanting to, and stubbornly deciding not to.

* * *

That lunch time, Wilson stopped by House's office. One of his terminal patients ahd had complications during surgery and he wasn't going to be able to get away until that afternoon.

"So I asked Cameron if she'd stop by, just to make sure everything's alright" he explained still sticking his head into the office, needed to rush off as soon as House nodded. And he did.

Now alone, House thought about himself, staying at the hospital, while Cameron went to check on his … on Cuddy. Somehow, even to House, that just felt wrong, so, giving in to the part of himself that he never admitted he had, House stood and headed for the ER.

* * *

"Cameron" he called as she took a step back from a bed surrounded by doctors.

"Not now, House" she replied looking at her watch "I have to head over to Cuddy's. Wilson was gonna go, but he can't so …"

"Yea, about that" said House enforcing his golden rule 'everybody lies' "I just spoke to her on the phone, she's going to go to sleep, so there's really no point driving over there, you'll just have to drive all the way back here. Plus, you don't want to be the one to wake up raging-hormone-Cuddy" he said with a face "not a pretty sight"

Looking at her former boss, Cameron tried to figure out just how much of what he was saying was true. However, she had never really been good at deciphering House's faces and separating the truth from all the lies and sarcasm, so she resigned herself to hoping he was telling the truth and nodded.

When she saw House head out the main doors, she called after him "where are you going?"

"Lunch, Wilson" he said

It was only five minutes later that Cameron registered what House had said and realised that he had, in fact been lying. At the very least, about the last part, but she was sure it was too late to stop him now.

* * *

Standing outside Cuddy's door, House figured it'd just be easier to 'break in'. So bending down as well as one can with a bad leg, he retrieved the small silver key from under it's green pot and let himself into the house.

* * *

Lying, as she would have to get used to, alone in her guest bedroom, Cuddy suddenly heard a noise. It wasn't very loud or alarming, but she was pretty sure that it was the sound of the front door opening and closing. Sitting up straighter, she managed to catch a glimpse of the front door and the diagnostician standing in front of it through her large mirror.

"What on earth are you doing here?" she asked, knowing that it would confuse him.

Wondering where she was and how she'd seen him, House made for the stairs

"I'm not up there" she said starting to have fun.

In the mirror, Cuddy caught a glimpse of a smirk on House's face.

"Ok …" he said mainly to himself as he looked around the house. She wasn't in the living room, the Kitchen door was closed, so if she were in there, she wouldn't be able to see her, he couldn't think of a plausible reason why she'd be hiding in the closet to his left. So, after excluding all other possibilities, he headed for the spare bedroom.

"What _are_ you doing here?" she asked when he appeared in the door way

"Uh… Wilson had a lunch date in the OR so …" he began

"Yea, I know, but he told me he'd send Cameron over …" she interrupted

When House didn't answer, Cuddy figured it was better to let it go before she scared him away, after all, emotion-talk could drive Greg House away faster than an epidemic of flesh-eating viruses; actually, the latter would most likely attract him.

"Well, anyway, as you can see, I'm fine, I haven't left the bed since Wilson left this morning, and I'm not going hungry, either" she added looking at the several packets of cookies that Wilson had, oh so thoughtfully, placed all around her.

House hated this. He couldn't think of a single funny thing to say. He couldn't even think of something insulting to say. All he could do was look at her, a glow covering her as she sat in bed, her belly looking as though it could engulf her, and focus all his energy on not letting his face show how much he wanted her.

"Really House, thanks for stopping by. But I'll be fine, besides as your …"

"…boss, I really must ask you to go back to work now" he finished for her in a mock-high pitched voice "alright, but when you do need a gentleman to help you to the bathroom, or get something other than cookies for your little parasite to eat …" he started, feeling his old self momentarily come up again.

" … I'll call Wilson" she interrupted him, knowing he had been referring to himself with the 'gentleman' comment.

Semi-glaring at her for a few seconds, House let out a sigh that he was sure she couldn't here and, with a slight nod, left the room and headed for the door.

Alone in her bed again, Cuddy sighed. She had wanted him to stay, she really had. But she couldn't handle having him there, looking at her with those yes, knowing that she was lying to his face, even if not directly. She knew House was well aware that 'everybody lies' but she didn't want to be just one more in his statistics, she'd rather not have him there, than feel guilty for protecting herself.

* * *

With the front door shut firmly behind him, House looked at his bike which was parked across the street from the house. It would be so easy to just hop on it, speed all the way to the hospital, submerge himself in another impossible case and, for as long as possible, and forget about everything else in his life. But somehow, he didn't want to do that.

Turning back to the door, ready to go back inside, undetected, House looked at the key hole and cursed.

"Shit!" He'd left the key inside, on the little table next to the door.

Taking a step back, he looked at Cuddy's house and began his limp around the premises, hoping to find a way in.

And then he found it. Boy was Cuddy going to be mad. He knew she would be, but on top of the fact that, breaking this window and sticking his hand in to open the back door would get him to her, it was incredibly thrilling, like lying to her, or all the insults, it was something forbidden, something he wasn't supposed, or even legally allowed, to do. And that exactly the kind of thing that House loved doing.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Drifting off into sleep, Cuddy was too out of it to hear the faint sound of breaking glass followed by a door opening and closing. But that was, indeed, what was happening in her kitchen.

Turing towards the window that he had just punched in, House smirked and, figuring that Cuddy would probably walk into the kitchen at some point, completely barefoot, bent to pick up the surprisingly large shards of glass that littered the floor beneath the window.

Pain.

"Shit!" he cursed under his breath as a particularly sharp piece made its way through the skin of his hand "Damn!"

Removing the rest of the pieces as best he could, House put them in the bin and proceeded to wrap a paper towel around his hand.

Limping into the hall of Cuddy's house, holding his cane with one hand and pressing the newly-bandaged one to his chest, House looked around. He could hear Cuddy's faint breathing as she slept, he could see the room that had, one day, been meant for Joy and that would, in a few months, house her … their baby.

Settling for the living room, House made his way to the couch and took a seat remembering, with a smirk, how that was the place where it had all started.

Ensuring that the sound was low, House turned on the TV and placed his sneakered feet onto the centre table, after all, what Cuddy didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

* * *

Waking up three hours later, Cuddy heard a strange whoosh of wind, the kind that comes with a low whistle as it passes under the door, or between two partially closed windows.

Knowing that she had closed every door and window and remembering that House had closed the door after leaving, she started to feel apprehensive. Slowly and cautiously, she got out of bed, doing her best not to move too much, for the baby's sake.

On tip toes, she made her way to the front door. Locked. Baby's room. Shutters closed. Kitchen. What the …

Heart beating faster and adrenaline shooting through her, Cuddy reached for the first long object she could find, which, incidentally, was simply a broom which, in retrospect, would cause no real harm to an assailant, and tiptoed back out of the kitchen, preying to God that she wouldn't find the intruder.

Her bedroom she knew was clear, after all, no matter how groggy she was, she would have undoubtedly spotted another human being. The kitchen was clear, so was the baby's room and, figuring she should leave going upstairs for a last resort, Cuddy peered around the door to the living room. There was definitely someone sitting on her couch. And that someone was snoring. As she slowly made her way inside, broom clasped in two hands like a baseball bat, recognition started to set in.

Green-soled sneakers, wrinkly blue dress shirt, ugly-logo band t-shirt, leather jacket on the table, cane resting on the floor.

"What the HELL are you doing here?" she shouted at him lowering the broom.

Startled, House opened his eyes and spotted her standing behind him.

"I _was_ sleeping" he said in an accusatorial tone.

"In MY house?" she asked taking deep breaths "Are you INSANE?" she asked angrily

"Uh, most would say yes …" he started

"You could have given me a heart attack! I though someone had broken into my house!" when she saw that House was about to point out the obvious, she added "someone bad"

A smirk forming on his lips, House queried "I'm not 'bad' then?"

"That's not what I meant, I…" angry, frustrated and her heart still pounding in her chest, Cuddy turned towards the kitchen hoping to a. put the broom away and b. calm down before addressing the issue that was Greg House.

Apparently, House had no intention of letting her go in peace and so quickly (as quickly as he could) got to his feet and limped after her.

"By the way, what was your plan if you _did_ find someone 'bad'?" he asked with another smirk "were you going to sweep them out?" he asked as she turned to him, glaring

"I _was_ going to hit you with the can … actually, I still have half a mind to do so …" she said lifting the broom as he, mimicking her, lifted his cane "Oh…" she said "_very_ mature" as she turned back into the kitchen and placed the broom against the wall by the door.

"Ow!" she shouted as a searing pain shot up her foot and she held onto the counter so as not to fall.

"What?" asked House, 'rushing' to her side in an uncharacteristic display of concern.

"Something …" she sighed regaining her balance and holding her foot up from the floor "Ah …"

When House saw the blood dripping from the injured, limb, he felt a small pang of guilt, rather, something he figured was what the common person referred to as 'guilt'.

With what could be seen as a nervous chuckle, he spoke "He, thought I got all of them"

"House!" she shouted looking up at him, her grey-blue eyes trying to pierce through him like the piece of glass had done to her foot "You _not only_ broke my window, but also proceeded to leave the glass on the floor?" she asked angrily

"Actually, I did try to pick them up …" he explained holding up his bandaged hand.

"Oh, great, that makes it all _so_ much better" she answered sarcastically, trying to limp out of the kitchen using her good foot and the heel of the other.

Again uncharacteristically, House reached with an arm under hers and proceeded to help her limp out. A process which, had it happened on TV, would have been highly amusing, because really, there is only so much a limping diagnostician can do to help an equally limping administrator.

Feeling a stir in that soft spot she'd always had for House, Cuddy looked up at him as he focused on the door to the living room "Thanks" she said with a smile before facing forwards and continuing with her efforts.

When he had Cuddy safely sitting on the couch, House stood up, straightening his back and waiting for the pain in his leg to dissipate.

"Where's your first aid kit?" he asked her

"Uh …" she said as she shifted slightly trying to fing a more comfortable position "bathroom" she said nodding towards the guest bathroom.

Not two minutes later, she heard a large bang and a series of curses.

"What happened?" she asked turning around as best she could to try and evaluate the damage.

"Nothing" said House in a forced calm voice as he limped back to the living room with the first aid kit in hand.

"House?" she asked suspiciously "did you by any chance pull out the drawer from under the sink a little to far making everything fall on the floor?" she asked as he smirked "why am I even surprised?" she asked with a sigh as she closed her eyes.

Taking advantage of her not looking, House grabbed her bleeding foot and placed it on his lap, opening the first aid kit.

"Ow!" she cried when he took a pair of tweezers to her wound "what are you doing?"

"Glass, wound …" he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. When she continued to look at him suspiciously, he added "… you know, I _am_ a doctor …"

Sighing, Cuddy nodded. If there were bits of glass in the cut, she knew he had to take them out "just, be careful" she said leaning back on the pillows and wincing as he squeezed the foot to get better access "Ok, ow!" she said again

"Do you or do you not want me to remove the glass?" he asked "exactly, then please, shut up!"

For the next few minutes, House cleaned and bandaged Cuddy's foot and, all the while, she started to get a tingling sensation every time he touched a new spot on her foot or leg.

When he was done, he patted her foot and, smiling when she winced, spoke "all done"

Removing her foot from his lap, Cuddy, slowly, sat up straight and reached for the first aid kit.

"What are you doing?" he asked her as she turned to him with a menacing look, tweezers in one hand, bandages in the other

"Your turn …" she said smiling. When he continued to look at her like she was insane, she put down the bandages and grabbed his hand pulling it towards her "Don't be a baby …"

Unnoticed by either of them, House's forearm was resting on her stomach as she pulled the hand towards the light to make sure it was clean. Cuddy was well aware of the baby's kicks, what she wasn't aware of, however, was that so was House.

Feeling the tiny movements beneath his arm, House was glad Cuddy wasn't looking at him, because the smile that crept on his face was completely uncontrollable.

When Cuddy finally finished bandaging his hand and let go, she was sure she felt him linger his arm and, in a slow slide, his hand on her stomach. But right then, his piercing blue eyes were on hers and thinking was becoming increasingly difficult to do.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Wehey! An update +/- 24 hours after the previous one … I'm on a roll here :P So, this chapter is, uh, well, I won't spoil it for ya :P I really really like it and, well, I'll write more at the bottom … really don't wanna spoil it :P_

_Though I can thank you all, again (is it getting repetitive yet :P) for your lovely reviews and support :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"Uh …" started Cuddy unsure of what exactly was going on. House's blue eyes were staring deep into hers, the look on his face was something she'd never seen before, and, frankly it was something that was both thrilling and scary "House …" she semi whispered as they moved closer together.

The tension was almost palpable, they were so close, they could feel each other's breath on their faces; they were so close they could count each other's eyelashes. And yet, they were hesitating.

For Cuddy, it was too complicated. How could she kiss him and still keep the baby a secret? No matter how much of a jack ass he could be, she couldn't do that to him. But he was so close, it was so easy.

House, on the other hand knew what he wanted. He wanted to run. As fast and as far as he possibly could. What the hell was wrong with him to be expressing emotions like that? He wasn't that guy! He never had been. And yet, there he was, his lips an inch from hers, his head tilting every so slightly to the side.

His smell was intoxicating, it flooded her with memories. Memories of their college years, memories of the days after Stacy left, memories of events that had happened on that very couch barely 6 months ago. Her eyes fluttered for a minute and closed. His followed suit. It was like nothing else was going on in the world, no one else mattered. At that moment, the world could crash around them and they wouldn't care.

House's inner self seemed to be muffled for those brief moments, all that was inside him was the overwhelming need to touch her, to close the minute gap between them and let her know just how he felt. He didn't care what that meant, for once he didn't analyse the consequences, he didn't weigh out the pros and cons, he just leaned the necessary distance between them and touched his lips to hers.

It was gentle, apprehensive, almost like in slow-motion. There was the first touch, they both hesitated, each afraid of the other's response, each scared of their own response. Then he moved slightly, inching towards her, careful not to put pressure on the baby growing between them. She moved to counter him. Newton's third law. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. His head tilted to his right, hers tilted to her right. It was simple, slow and perfectly coordinated. Familiar. Safe. It was all either of them really needed, all they'd never admitted to. This time, there was no heart break behind it all, there was no anger, no frustration, no desperate need to dominate. It was patient, caring.

He was sure he was about to fall. What he was falling into however, he was unsure. In that moment, he had a decision to make. One that he could base on no reason. One that he couldn't ask Wilson to deal with. One that had to come from that organ, the one that looked nothing like it's every day representation, one that sustained life, the one that, until recently, he hadn't realised he had.

She leaned further in. His lower lip trapped between hers. His hand resting on her side, pulling her slightly towards him. There was a sound. Neither of them knew where from. Neither of them cared. And another, this time in was House. A low sound. One that indicated pleasure, want and need. One that Cuddy gladly returned.

The gentleness remained but passion joined it. It wasn't tentative anymore, it wasn't apprehensive or testing. It was bold, sure and easy. Necessary. Calming. Reassuring.

And finally, there was that feeling in the chest. The one that signalled another biological need, another of the 7 functions of life. Respiration. Air. Oxygen. They broke apart. Eyes remaining closed. Noses still touching. Hearts racing, breaths shallow and quick. The baby kicking frantically. Eyes opened. Blue. Grey. Dark.

"Ah …" it was just a gasp. Neither sure who from.

They both wanted to speak. They both wanted to say so much. Or so little. But they couldn't. They didn't know how.

House could swear he heard her call him by his name. Greg. It sounded so good. So freeing. He wanted to use hers. Lisa. Lise. But he couldn't. That strong part of him was there again. The pain was radiating from his leg again. The Vicodin in his pocket were almost vibrating, drawing all his attention.

"I …" he started, it was as much as he'd ever gotten out.

Cuddy just nodded. Partly because she knew. Partly because she couldn't hear him say it. She wanted to hear it. She wanted to say it herself. But she couldn't. She knew what a big step in was for him. She couldn't do it to him. She couldn't let him say it, make himself vulnerable. Not when she couldn't be honest with him.

_Tell him_

It would solve all the problems. She knew that if he let it out, if he said it, he'd be open, he'd be different. All she had to do was tell him. It was less than ten words. But it had been six months. He'd be angry, he'd hate her. He'd … She thought back to his words. He didn't think she'd be a good mom. He didn't want a baby and he probably didn't want one with _her_ either. She loved him. So much. But she had to protect herself. She had to be stronger than the need and desire. If not for herself, for the fragile life he'd helped her create.

It was getting harder and harder to fight himself off. Greg wanted to tell her. House wanted to kill Greg. Greg wanted his baby, he wanted to be to that little life everything his father hadn't been to him. House, still, wanted to kill Greg.

Unable to win, Greg gave in. House reached in his pocket. Vicodin.

The part of himself that cared, that tiny part that kept trying to surface, saw the hurt in her eyes as she saw him return to normal, as she saw House re-emerge. She hid it well, but he saw it.

The Vicodin felt sharp against his throat. It hurt. But not as much as his leg. Not as much as watching her walk away and into the bathroom. But no one looking at him could tell. His face was as typical as ever, the glint in his eyes, the half smirk on his lips.

* * *

She'd been so close. She had almost felt his defences breaking. But he was too strong. His fear of opening up, he need for safety were bigger than whatever part of him had made him lean in. And so Cuddy cried. She cried because she wanted that little part to win. She wanted to help it win. She cried because she knew he'd never let her.

**TBC**

* * *

_Yea, so it is a little bit of a different style, but I really like it. And, yes, I know, I'm very evil to give you what you want and promptly take it away, but hey, "as the philosopher Jagger once said, 'you can't always get what you want'" :P (and I'm quoting House …) I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed writing it. Not to worry, it will continue as soon as I can get down and write some of these ideas that are currently floating around my brain._

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Heya, y'all! Sorry for the long-ish wait, but I restarted school this week and have been dealing with both it and my evil &#%$!&$% of a chemistry teacher :P (No really, if you met her, you'd cry). So I haven't been able to update. But I have had plenty of awesome ideas (and proceeded to write them all down on a word doc so as not to forget them amongst all the other stuff I seem to have to remember) _

_Now, I know this chapter is a little shorter than usual (not much, but a little), but in many ways it's another 'filler' chapter to get it going, I personally think it's kind of cute, and I think the next one will be even cuter :D (but I'd say I'm a little biased :P)_

_So, as usual, thank you ALL so much for your awesome, fantastic and extraordinary reviews, you really keep a smile on my face and a little bit of sanity in my mind :P _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

When Cuddy finally came out of the bathroom, five minutes later, she walked slowly back towards the living room not knowing whether or not to expect him to still be there.

And, no surprise, he wasn't.

She hadn't expected him to stay, she knew that House had been acting strange since she'd become pregnant, but she didn't expect him to change so drastically as to stay somewhere where he had just been vulnerable, basically stripped of all defences.

Wiping the remnants of her tears from her eyes, Cuddy sighed and turned towards her bedroom, her blurred mind not even registering that, aside from the diagnostician, her living room was also missing a particularly expensive TV.

* * *

Just as she turned the corner towards her bedroom door, she heard a noise. Slowing her steps, Cuddy moved closer to the wall and peeked into her room keeping her body away from the opening.

"_What_ are you doing?" she asked as she saw the diagnostician she had been missing mere minutes earlier, kneeling as best he could in front of her TV, cables splayed on the floor all around him, his cane lying on her bed.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked barely looking up, obviously too caught up in figuring out how to hook up the darned thing.

"Ok, um, _why_ are you relocating my furniture?" she asked leaning against the doorframe marvelling at his expression; the same one he had on when he tried to solve non-technological puzzles.

"Uh m… that baby needs some decent entertainment" he said, barely believing what he had been about to say.

"I read, all the time, aloud, you know it's good for …" she began but he looked up

"If you read classics to it, hell, even some Poe, instead of that …" he looked at her romance novels "uh…"

"I'll have you know they are very good!" she said walking into the room and sitting on the bed.

House resigned himself to looking at her disbelievingly before focusing his attention on the red cable in his hand and the finding of it's illusive socket.

For the next few minutes, Cuddy watched in amazement as House set up her TV with as much dedication and concentration as he put into saving patients, and, as the time passed and the silence surrounded her, her memory flooded back to the living room, the couch, his scent, his taste, his … just, him.

From the moment she'd walked in, she'd realised there was some sort of unspoken agreement in the air. She knew it was and odd and rare thing for House to still be there, and she was certain that, should se bring up the subject that, she knew, they were both thinking about, he would leave.

"There" he said, finally straightening up and pausing for a moment with his right hand on his thigh as Cuddy handed him his cane which she had been mindlessly fiddling with.

Looking down at his work, House felt the rush that came with solving something dissipate and all the things that, minutes earlier had screamed at him to leave, flooded back. But this time, Greg was determined to fight it. After all, he'd already made Cuddy cry once, he wasn't about to do it again, not if he could help it.

Picking up the remote that he had placed on top of the TV, House through it to Cuddy who, in an unexpectedly quick reflex caught the UFO that was about to fit her face.

"Nice catch" he said walking around to the other side of the bed.

"Gee thanks" she replied sarcastically turning on the TV.

Channel, after channel, after channel, after channel. Nothing. How could there be nothing on? What was worse, how could Cuddy live with so few channels? Granted that more than half the channels she didn't have would serve only to show the same 'nothing' as the others, but in foreign languages that she didn't understand and that he pretended not to. But, still, House always enjoyed knowing that he could go on for over 200 channels before giving up.

In silence staring at the TV, they both sighed. It was an odd moment, it felt like they'd done it before. Rather, it felt scary, but some how familiar and safe. Anyone looking in on the scene, would see a married couple, going through an everyday routine. They only saw each other. Each more scared than the other.

"Uh, so …" said Cuddy trying to get him to be the one to say or do something, seeing as, should she do it, there'd be a very good chance that he'd leave.

"Do you, by any chance have DVDs in this place?" he asked her.

Surprised at the fact that House was actually trying to find something neutral to do, that he wasn't running out the door and wasn't trying to jump in her pants, Cuddy took a second to reply.

"Living room, second cupboard" she said nodding towards the door.

"I'll be back" he said as he got up and limped out and, for some reason, she was sure he would.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! (Also, for this chapter and any others where it's mentioned, I do not (obviously) own the movie Gone with the Wind or any of it's characters. I don't own any of the other mentioned movies, either)_

_**A/N: **__Hi again, so I thought I'd post this today because, well, I made you wait a week for the previous one and, besides, I already had this chapter ready (and it's extra long :D)_

_So I hope you like it, I think this will be another one that might get some mixed feelings at the end, because, as we've established, I like leaving you wanting more at the end :P_

_So, thanks, again, for all your reviews, I really appreciate them! :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Returning with six DVD cases in hand, House looked at Cuddy with a mocking look.

"What?" she asked sitting up a little straighter in her bed.

"You have, what's the word, TERRIBLE taste in films!" he replied looking down at the six he'd picked.

"What? No I …" she started

"Over 100 DVD's and only 6 I'd possibly _consider_ watching?" he asked sitting on the bed, his right leg on the bed, his left one hanging down.

"Have you ever thought that that might be a reflexion on _your_ taste in movies?" she asked arching an eyebrow.

Deciding to disregard her final comment, House put the DVD's down on the bed and allowed her to look at the covers.

Citizen Cane

Torn Curtain

Casablanca

The Fast and the Furious

Ninth Gate

Gone with the Wind

Cuddy had to do a double take on the last one. Citizen Cane, she understood, after all, it was widely considered to be _the_ greatest movie of all time. Turn Curtain was pretty good, pure Hitchcock-ness, and if nothing else, it had Paul Newman, The Ninth Gate was pure Polanski genius, and, as an added bonus, had Johnny Depp in it. Casablanca, again, was a classic, no arguing there, and The fast and the Furious was just some crappy man-film left over by one of her ex's, she'd expected House to like it. But Gone with the Wind, a romantic classic? She had never expected House to have even ever watched it. He had to be kidding her! She loved the movie, but there was no way that Greg House, the grumpy, misanthropic diagnostician would sit through a four hour romance with elaborate costumes and a heartbreaking end. No way.

"Uh, House …" she began ready to question his choice but, again, he interrupted her.

"Classic" he shrugged

"I know it is, I didn't know _you_ did" she explained picking up the cover.

Taking the cover from her, he headed towards the TV and DVD player "I'm a man full of surprises" he stated as he placed the disc in the player "I'm assuming you want to watch it" he said looking back at her stunned face over his shoulder. She nodded.

What had he meant by 'full of surprises'? She knew he was unpredictable, but somehow, she didn't think it was that kind of surprise he was refereeing to. Could he be referring to something more meaningful than his reckless, impulsive medical style?

"You know, I'm surprise you didn't pick 'American Pie'" she said thinking that a perverted teen movie was much more House's style.

As the opening credits started to roll, House shushed her. He was painfully aware of the fact that she was testing him, testing if he really did like the movie or if he was just putting on some sort of strange, incomprehensible, show. And, ever the lover of tests and challenges, House was going to rise to the occasion.

Something else they were both painfully aware of was each other's presence. They were sitting next to each other, they could both hear each other's breathing, the only sound in the room was the orchestra opening of the movie. They could almost hear each other's thoughts.

And those thoughts were mutual. They were of each other, of the events of the previous half-hour. Of their lips, their scents. The kiss. That safe, familiar, comfortable feeling. It scared them both how familiar it had been, how hard it had impacted them. It especially scared them just how much they wanted to do it again. But they didn't. They kept to their unspoken agreement, they wouldn't mention it. With them, that was how it worked, they didn't mention awkward things, they happened and they moved on like nothing had occurred. It was easy, it was like their little dance. Changing it would be, well, unthinkable. It wouldn't work. House wouldn't live with it. He couldn't ever face his feelings, at least not out loud, not in public. Not outside the confined spaces of his scull and Cuddy's home.

As Scarlett O'Hara appeared on the screen, her southern belle smile covering her pretty face, the two red headed twins talking to her, adoration in their eyes, the two Doctors watching them let their thoughts slip, their attentions now focused on what was to happen. However the burning they felt as Cuddy shifted and her shoulder came into contact with his, was well registered by both.

* * *

"…_why not try a husband of the right age? With a way with women?_" Rhett asked Scarlett as he proposed to marry her.

And they both remembered what Cuddy had said. 'why can't it be October October?'. It was another of those moments, they both became aware of the other's presence again, like they hadn't in two hours of film. And Cuddy could have sworn she felt House shift slightly next to her, but she wasn't about to let herself believe that he had, nor that it was, in anyway, to do with her.

Another thirty minutes went by. Rhett married Scarlett. They seemed happy enough.

It was hard to believe that the strong willed southern bell and the coarse, conceited cad were actually getting along, but they certainly seemed to be. He seemed to actually love her, and, as it always had, the story rouse some hope in Cuddy; maybe it was possible.

A baby. They had a baby together. But Rhett knew about it, he was pacing his study, drinking sherry and smoking cigars. He ran into the room as soon as he could. He wanted his baby, he wanted his little girl. He wasn't …

Cuddy shifted slightly at the thought.

House, in turn, was thinking quite the opposite from Cuddy. He wanted to be Rhett, he wanted to be pacing his office, drinking whisky, limping as quickly as he could to his kid.

Neither had, originally, realised the actual meaning the movie had, but now they could feel the weight of it in the room, almost like the giant pink elephant that not-so subtly hid in a corner but neither wanted to mention.

And then Scarlett fell down the stairs and lost her baby. She hadn't wanted it, he had. It was different in reality, but the fear Rhett felt for his wife's life was no different from what had driven House to Cuddy's hospital bed. It was pure, uncontrollable.

House knew Cuddy probably thought he'd never want the baby, he knew that that was why she'd never told him. But she was wrong, so wrong. He was coming to terms with it, he did want the baby, he wanted her, he wanted to not be so miserable, to have someone, other that Wilson, whom he didn't hate.

Bonnie's death. It was Rhett's fault. He'd spoilt her. And their daughter had died. Both doctors felt a tug in their heart, Cuddy didn't even bother to hide it, House did.

Cuddy felt the tears stream down her cheeks as she saw Rhett sitting, alone, in the dark, staring at his daughter's body. She couldn't lose this baby, she couldn't live with it, not again. She was too attached now, she'd seen its heart beat, she'd seen it's little hands and feet, it's little face. It was real now, she could feel the little kicks inside her, almost like telling her not to worry.

And House felt the same. He hadn't realised just how attached he was. But the mere thought of Cuddy losing that child sent a chill down his spine. Even if he was never a part of his kid's life, he wanted to know that he or she was safe, that they were alive and well. And at that moment, he realised that, no matter how uncharacteristic it was for him, he'd go to any length, do just about anything, to ensure that that little baby made it to this world and grew up to be whatever he or she was destined to be. His feelings _really_ scared him.

Catching Cuddy's face out of the corner of his eye, House saw the free-falling tears. It was a moving movie, there was no way that a woman full of fluctuating hormones would not cry.

Reaching for the bedside table on his right, House reached for two tissues and handed them to Cuddy, his eyes lingering on her face a little before turning his attentions back to the screen.

The movie had gotten to the saddest part. Melanie was dying, Bonnie was dead, Rhett was jealous, Scarlett was making realisations, and Ashley was in tears.

House knew that if Cuddy was sobbing now, the end wouldn't be pretty. For the next 15 minutes, he kept handing her tissues and watching her dry her grey-blue eyes, constantly wanting to be the one to brush those tears away, his hand twitching, wanting to fight off his mental control over it.

"_Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!_" with Rhett's parting words, Cuddy sobbed louder than before. It was heartbreaking, even House had to admit.

Rhett had waited so long to hear her say those three words and now that she had, now that she meant them, he walked away from her. She'd waited too long, she'd tried to be strong for too long, resisting it all for too long. It had, inevitably, ended badly. No one, not even the most patient and loving cad in all the south could wait any longer. It had been her fault, she'd been too absorbed in everything else around her, in their constant game, their friendly banter their …

Letting a breath out, House realised exactly who he was actually thinking about.

Next to him, Cuddy was still crying, a hand resting on her stomach, the other holding the tissue to her eyes.

And House felt his hand move, he wasn't sure if this was Greg's doing, or if his hand had just developed a mind of its own, but it was now wiping Cuddy's tears away. The back of his forefinger brushing lightly against her skin as she closed her eyes, the little gesture enough to settle her.

As her sobs subsided, the magic spell that had been enveloping them was broken as the telephone rang.

Cuddy sighed. She knew she couldn't let House answer it so, standing up slowly and hobbling over to the living room, she picked up the phone that she had, for some reason she couldn't quite remember, left in there.

* * *

As he heard Wilson's voice on the other side, she closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that when she returned to her room, the caring, lovable man that had just wiped her tears away, would have been turned back into her coarse employee.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Well, Hello! I'm back for the third time in … uh … three days :P So, I was going to keep this freshly written chappie for the middle of the week so that, should I not have time to write during the week, I could still post something. But because of all your pleading requests and one particular one who informed me that, if I didn't post, the suspense might kill them, I figured it was my duty to post this ASAP._

_I hope you enjoy this chapter, I really liked writing, and I think this might be going somewhere fun … after all, Cuddy, House and Wilson in the same room, something good has to come from that, right?_

_  
Enjoy!_

* * *

"_Hey_" came the oncologists voice from the phone

"Hi" she replied

"_Did I wake you_?" he asked when he heard her voice

"No, no, I was just watching TV" she replied

"_Ok then, uh, I'm outside, I was just calling to make sure you weren't busy_" he said and she smiled. It was so typical of Wilson.

"No, I'm not" she said, momentarily forgetting about the diagnostician in her bedroom.

After clicking off, a few seconds went by and there was a knock on the door.

* * *

Hearing the door, House slowly got up from bed, he wasn't quite sure what to do. Being seen there by any of Cuddy's visitors who would, surely be from the hospital, didn't seem like a very good idea. But on the other hand, he knew that it'd mortify Cuddy to have someone find him there, and somehow, that seemed to outweigh being found there. After all, no one in their right mind would think that Greg House was and his boss's home for anything other than sex, and that theory was fine by him.

* * *

"How are you doing?" asked Wilson briefly hugging Cuddy and looking around.

"I'm fine, tired, but fine" she replied, only just realising how tired she actually was.

"Wilson!" came a male voice from the door to her bedroom, and the oncologist looked up to find his best friend leaning on it, smiling at them.

'_Oh, this is going to be good_' thought House as he smirked.

"House? What are you doing here?" asked Wilson looking at Cuddy who had no idea what to say.

The truth was she didn't know what he was doing there. He had come under the pretext that Wilson couldn't. He had left, he had broken into her house, injured her, kissed her, made her cry, provided her with entertainment, spent 4 hours watching a romantic movie with her, and was still there, even with the knowledge that someone would know he was. What _was_ he doing there?

"Well, no one came to check on preggers there, so I figured _someone _had to …" he said with a shrug like that was the most natural thing for Greg House to say "I mean, can you imagine what would have happened if someone '_bad_'" he looked straight at Cuddy for a second "had broken her window while she slept, snuck in, put his _feet_ on her coffee table and left the glass on the floor so she could cut herself?" he asked with a mock-serious look that Wilson didn't catch but Cuddy certainly did.

"Well, that would have been bad …" said Wilson not quite sure what to respond to his friend's elaborate speech.

"That it would" agreed Cuddy semi-scowled at House as she closed the door, which for some odd reason she'd left open thus far, behind Wilson "would you like some coffee, James?" she asked him and he nodded.

Trying not to put too much pressure on her foot, Cuddy limped to her kitchen. As she did so, Wilson caught sight of her bandaged foot and, as he walked over to House "what is that?" he asked pointing to where her foot had been moments before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Floor" said House playing dumb

"I meant her foot" said Wilson mock-glaring at his friend.

"Oh, that … minor injury" he said, figuring it was all Wilson needed to know.

When Wilson saw House's had was also bandaged, he thought of maybe asking, but he was pretty sure his friend wouldn't tell him, so he moved on.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked him with a knowing look, the kind that said, 'I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from her for so long'.

"I told you, making sure no one broke in and …"

"Glass on the floor, yea, I know" replied Wilson shaking a hand, not bothering to continue, he knew he wouldn't get anywhere.

Looking over House's shoulder, he saw Cuddy's bed was messed up.

If he had been Cuddy or House, he would have known that that was because, a. Cuddy had been sleeping in it before House arrived and b. they had been sitting on it while they watched the movie. However, Wilson was Wilson, and his mind immediately jumped to conclusions, much as House had expected it to.

"You …" started Wilson with a shocked look and a pointed finger.

House limited himself to smile. It was really an ambiguous smile, but if anyone was looking for a confirmation in it, and Wilson was, then they'd be able to read one.

"I …" not even sure what to say to a friend who had skipped work to go to his boss's house, a boss he had impregnated, nonetheless, and have sex with her. Again. "Cuddy? Do you want some help?" he asked her as he moved away from House who, unbeknownst to him, was smiling victoriously.

"Sure" she replied, glad that she could ask Wilson to reach for the cups so that she didn't have to climb on anything.

* * *

"So, what's he doing here?" asked Wilson in a hushed voice, knowing Cuddy would surely confide in him.

Looking out the door slightly, Cuddy saw House move into the living room and figured she was safe "I have no idea!" she whispered as she pressed the button on the coffee machine "he just showed up here … and stayed" she looked out the door again, all she could see in the living room was the space where her TV would have been, the coffee table that sat in front of it, and his trainers, comfortably poised on its nicely polished wooden surface.

"Did you two …" he moved his index and middle finger in a way that, in any other context, would have appeared to mean a broken pair of scissors.

"What? No!" Cuddy looked shocked "Did he say we did?!"

"No … well, he'd didn't deny it …" started Wilson, somehow relieved that his friend wasn't stupid enough to have sex with the woman he'd impregnated, again, without first telling her everything. He was also quite happy that his other friend wasn't stupid enough to sleep with the guy who had impregnated her, again, without telling _him_ everything.

"No, we, we watched a movie …" she said looking at the coffee as it slowly dripped into the cups

"A movie?" asked Wilson with a very sceptic face. He knew these two were crazy about each other. Cuddy had been in love with House since, well, since before _he_ even knew House, and House seemed to care about her more than he ever cared for Stacy, and he had loved Stacy, so Wilson could only figure that …

"Gone with the Wind" she said matter-of-factly as she removed the two cups that were now full and took an extra one out of the cupboard to get herself some chocolate milk.

Wilson's thoughts were interrupted by Cuddy's words which he was sure he'd misheard. It was simple, really. Either he was going deaf and Cuddy had said something like American Pie, or he had obviously misjudged the lengths to which House was willing to go for Cuddy.

"Sorry, which film?" he asked with a growing smile as Cuddy's face revealed to him that he hadn't misheard.

"Gone. With. The. Wind" she spoke slowly

Wilson nodded slightly and bowed his head to hide his smirk as Cuddy turned back to pouring the brown, chocolaty powder into the cup.

"Hey, I'll take this and meet you in the living room, 'kay?" he asked her as he picked up the two coffee cups.

Cuddy merely nodded and hummed in response.

* * *

"Thanks" said House taking the coffee from his friend and sipping it. When Wilson just stared at him, House figured Cuddy had said something that had got his brain going on fix-House's-life mode "what?" he asked

"You watched …" he couldn't even say it, that movie and House, together, in the same sentence. It just didn't work in his brain.

House wasn't quite sure how to respond. This was why he hated relationships. Because even when you felt comfortable enough to open up, even a little bit of himself, to someone else, he had no desire to do so for everyone else. Wilson was his best friend, but there were limits, there were things that he would do with Cuddy, and he wasn't even thinking about _those_ things, that he, not only wouldn't do with Wilson, but had no desire to talk to him about.

And when Greg House realised that he had no interest in talking to Wilson about Cuddy's expertise in that particular division of the house, that he didn't want to brag, or take pictures to show everyone in the hospital what their administrator did at night, he realised that he was gone. He was no longer at the point of making a decision. It was no longer stay or go. He had stayed, and the option to go was well off the table. He was stuck and it scared him. But a little part of him, not the usual one, was also a little excited, maybe this would be good.

As all this ran through House's head, Wilson awaited an answer and Cuddy limped into the room with her hot chocolate, taking a seat on the couch next to House and completely missing the look in Wilson's eyes, the one that said that, as strange as the sight in front of him was, he liked it. There was something comforting about seeing them sit next to each other, sipping warm drinks and lost in some kind of thought, completely unaware of what the other was doing and of how natural it all looked.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	15. Chapter 15

_****_

Disclaimer:

_I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hello! I'm back, half-way through the week, not too bad, huh? Well, here's another chapter. I like it. Also, I think that those of you who've been saying that you like the way my story shows all the emotions will like it too. There's also a mention of our favourite disease, you know, the one that it never actually is … _

_It isn't a very eventful chapter, actually, if we were to think about it, it probably only accounts for more or less 5 minutes of time in the story … that's kinda strange, now that I think about it :P_

_But I think it's setting up to some good House/Wilson/Cuddy scene … maybe._

_I love Wilson … the truth of the matter is that, when you're writing Huddy fanfics and you get stuck with what to do, the best thing to do is bring in our favourite oncologist. :D (Gotta love that guy …)_

_So, thanks so much for all your lovely, amazing reviews :D_

_  
Enjoy!_

* * *

"So…" said Wilson after a few seconds of silence. He wasn't sure what to say exactly. Of course plenty could have happened between House and Cuddy in the hours they'd spent together, and they could be completely playing him, or they could be as clueless as they looked about the other's feelings. That last option seemed more plausible. Wilson knew House well enough to know that, even when he was in the same house as the woman of his dreams, he wouldn't act, he wouldn't do anything. He was too scared. He was too scared to act in public where everyone could see and judge him, where his emotions would be visible, and he wasn't comfortable enough to act on them when he was alone with her and had no way of escaping the issue once it was out.

Cuddy had to find it ironic that House was perfectly fine being around her and that, aside from the shoulder scrape on the bed, there had been barely any awkwardness, however, when his best friend was in the room, House was as quiet as ever. It was actually kind of cute.

House was literally panicking. This wasn't part of the plan. The plan was, visitor (aka Wilson) walks in, House says something dripping with innuendo, visitor thinks diagnostician and administrator got it on, administrator is embarrassed, house proceeds to embarrass her further. The plan, however, did not include sitting on the same couch as said administrator, the same couch where they'd been making out mere hours earlier, none the less, sipping hot drinks and making small talk with the head of oncology. That was not only not on the plan, but House was pretty sure it would never be on _any_ plan he'd come up with.

"How are things at the hospital?" asked Cuddy. Safe topic.

"Fire, floods, an epidemic, and I hear they found a ghost living on the fifth floor conference room" he said with a smile, which Cuddy gladly returned.

"So, basically the same …" she said sarcastically with a smile, looking out the corner of her eye at House "speaking of Hospital" it had just dawned on her "don't you have a patient?" she asked the diagnostician turning her head in his direction.

When her eyes met his, House flinched a little, he had been pretty much zoned out of the conversation thus far, and the thoughts he'd been having combined with her blue-grey eyes weren't really what he would have wanted in this situation "Nope. Solved my last case … haven't got a new one" he said leaning back so that Cuddy couldn't see him meet Wilson's eye, basically telling him to keep quiet or get hit with a wooded cane somewhere very, _very_ painful.

"Yes you do…" said Cuddy looking at Wilson who, never a good actor, failed miserably at looking innocent "… I handed you a pile full of files a few weeks ago. Now, I _know_ you haven't solved _all_ those cases" she said looking back at House who was scowling at Wilson, even though the poor oncologist had had nothing to do with him being caught.

"But …" he whined in a childish voice "…those are all _boring_!" he said with a pout that was designed to look adorable and that, in Wilson's view failed and in Cuddy's succeeded, but she'd never let him know.

"House …" she said menacingly.

"But moo-om!" he whined again, this time getting a small laugh from Wilson "they're all boring! Stroke, Asthma, bone cancer, multiple sclerosis, Chlamydia, and even, I suspect, a case of Lupus …" he said rattling out all the diagnosis he had come up with for those particular patients after reading their files.

"And, have you actually _told_ any of these patients what's wrong with them?" asked Cuddy sounding as if she were talking to a child, a very, very slow one "you know, that's why they come to doctors, to find out what's wrong with them, and how to cure it … particularly that poor one with Chlamydia …" she said looking at Wilson for help.

Wilson wasn't about to help her. He knew how pointless it was to try and get House out of her house. Sure, she didn't know it, but he was there, and Wilson was pretty sure he was there to stay. There was something in his friend's eyes as he and Cuddy entered their usual arguing/flirting dialogue that he had never seen there, something that looked strangely unfamiliar and at the same time immensely comforting. It was a particular glint, not the sarcastic menacing one either; it was, just, pure.

"Now why would I tell them?" he asked looking at Wilson with a face like Cuddy was out of her mind; he liked this kind of argument, he could always win it, and he could always get on Cuddy's nerves at the same time. Win win.

"What about the lupus patient?" she asked him "you know as well as I do that it's _never_ lupus …" on that she was right. She had lost count of how many times over the years she'd heard House or one of his team members say 'it's lupus' only turn around minutes later and correct that to, 'actually, it was a massive internal haemorrhage that the MRI missed which led to septicaemia caused by a drawing pin the patient stepped on while walking bare foot through a primary school supply closet'. With House and his team, it was never the simplest option. Occam's Razor just never applied. Normally, doctors would go with, "If you hear hoofs, assume horses, not zebras" but House and his fellows always, inevitably looked for, and found Zebras. And not just Zebras either, they tended to be pink and orange zebras, with yellow spots and, on occasion, glittery hoofs that allowed them to fly away from all the lions. It was a fact of life that she'd learnt to deal with. If House said that a patient presenting with a runny nose actually had some rare, barely documented disease that only existed in the middle of the Sahara desert, he was probably right.

And after all that thinking, she came to another, completely different, but not entirely unrelated thought. Why on _earth_ was she trying to get rid of House? Sure, she was his boss and he had to do his job. But she'd read the files before handing them to him. Even the "lupus" patient wasn't in a dire, dire situation. She could perfectly well have Foreman take on the case. She didn't want House to go. She liked him there, she liked the few little moments where he became human and made her love him more. It was great. And yet, she was pushing him to go to work.

House was in a trap. Did he go or did he stay? Staying implied giving Cuddy _way_ too many reasons to suspect that he wasn't just there to annoy the crap out of her, you know, because there was still a small chance that she hadn't actually caught on to the kisses and tear wiping. Yea, right …

But if he went, he wouldn't be there with her. He wouldn't be, accidentally, feeling his foetus kick at Cuddy. And he wanted to be there.

But she'd mentioned lupus. She'd mentioned the one disease he knew it never was. That one file that had been sitting on his desk and that he had been desperately trying to avoid, something that was, lets face it, really quite hard for a puzzle-obsessed diagnostician. The little voice inside of him that he had recently named 'Greg' was whispering "stay". The other, larger voice that everyone knew as 'House' was yelling "GO!" … what to do?

Cuddy, still lost in her thoughts about the man whose baby was kicking her insides, didn't see the look on his face as he thought all this. But Wilson did. And he was damned if he was going to let that part of House win. Oh no, he was _so_ not leaving that house …

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Heya guys! So here's another chapter. I know it ends on a slightly (…hem_…) sad note, but if its any consolation, I think the next chapter will make you much, much happier :P And I'm going to start writing it right after I post this!

Also, I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, but I've only just got back from the dentist where I had a wisdom tooth taken out (Ouchy) with the help of, oh, about 6 anaesthesias … so I can't really feel half my face and I'm starting to think that that may be affecting my thought process (also I'm having to put way too much concentration into not biting myself, seeing as if I do, I can't feel it, and that's drawing too much of my attention … argh!)

Anyway, I've gotten to 200 reviews, which has a half-smile on my face (of course that is 'half' only due to the fact that I can't really use half of my mouth … but if I could, it would be a full out, incredibly radiant smile … :D)

_  
Enjoy!_

* * *

But for now, as Cuddy remained lost in her thoughts and Wilson studied House's face, he figured he was safe. The diagnostician was fighting himself. Maybe House _would_ be able to convince himself of what he needed. Maybe.

"So Cuddy …" spoke Wilson turning the subject to something that a. interested them all, b. involved two of them more than they'd care to admit and, c. gave him a chance to evaluate the feelings between the two "do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" he asked

Wilson had to stop himself from laughing when, inconspicuously, Cuddy shifted him her seat and House's eyes shot up to him. Oh, this was going to be good.

"Uh, actually I don't think I want to find out …" she said not sure where exactly to look. She knew there was no way House knew, but she still felt like his eyes were drilling into the side of her scull.

"Oh, really?" asked Wilson chancing a glance at House who simply glared at him, hating that he had brought the subject up.

Cuddy had been thinking about it. Her doctor had told her that if she wanted to know, he could tell her. But she had opted not to. It wasn't that she didn't want to know, she really did. But the fear of everything that could still go wrong was overwhelming. She didn't want to start referring to it as he or she, she didn't want to come up with names and get even more attached than she already was. Not when she knew things weren't certain.

Though, she had to admit, it was very difficult to lie there, perfectly capable of turning her head to the screen and reading the image and not do so.

"No, I'd rather be surprised" she said. It wasn't a total lie. It just wasn't the main reason why she didn't want to know.

House, in turn, was now rushing through all the different scenarios. Well, the two different scenarios, really. A little boy. He liked the thought of it. Or a little girl. One that looked exactly like her mother. Breaking hearts and making misanthropic, heartless men fall to their knees. He really liked the thought of it.

"Don't you have preference?" Wilson asked her as he looked at House, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Well, no not really" replied Cuddy. She really didn't. Though the thought of a little boy with House's piercing blue eyes had always rather pleased her.

Wilson looked from one to the other, taking his turn to picture what their child would look like. Truth be told, he figured that the kid would be safe. After all, you can't really go wrong when the only eye colours you can really have are grey-blue or ocean-blue and the amount of intelligence you could inherit from your parents, even if you only got half of it, is superior to most other people.

Wilson sighed and leaned back in his seat "What do you think?" he asked, a devilish smile on his face "Baby girl or baby boy, House?"

Wilson's question had been meant to throw him. And it had. Baby girl House. Baby boy House. House. Him. His. Baby. The words spun around in his brain and Wilson could swear he saw a small smile creep on his friend's lips.

"Hm …" he said looking at Cuddy, pretending to examine her from head to toe "boy" he replied "the world couldn't handle another one of these" he pointed at Cuddy as both she and Wilson figured that what the world wasn't ready to handle was a little House running around.

Wilson looked at Cuddy with a knowing face and she hid a smile.

With House now joining in the conversation, things became much less awkward. The three chatted as old friends do, exchanging jokes, some dripping with meaning, others just light and funny.

House hated to admit it, but he was actually enjoying himself. All his quips at Wilson, about him having enough wives for the three of them. Followed by all his jokes about Cuddy and one of Wilson's wives, jokes that filled his head with absolutely unnecessary images of Cuddy, something he was sure at least Wilson had caught on to. It felt good to be happy, or at least as happy as Greg House can be. He realised, with a start, that he'd barely taken a Vicodin in the past two hours.

As all three sighed after a particularly funny joke from Wilson, there was a '_bip, bip bip_' from House's waist band, and all three looked in its direction.

"Foreman" he informed them clipping the pager off his belt.

Standing up with the help of his cane, House nodded towards the phone and headed towards it, registering the increasing pain in his leg as he walked further out of the room and closer to a connection to his work.

* * *

"What do you want?" he growled into the phone a few second Slater when Foreman answered.

"_We have a patient, 36 years old, looks autoimmune, we need to run some more tests, but …_" replied Foreman

"Well then run your bloody tests and leave me alone …" said House angrily. He knew it was quite uncharacteristic of him to sound so unhappy at getting a puzzling case, but he really wasn't happy. He'd been doing good, he'd stayed and he had every intention of staying as long as possible. But it wouldn't work. Not when he felt like a dog with a large piece of raw meat being dangled above his head.

"_but …_" continued Foreman as if he hadn't been interrupted "_the ones we've ran so far point to, uh, Lupus_"

And House was there again, at his full force, beating Greg back into his corner and focusing on the puzzle. And suddenly his leg hurt like hell again. He need Vicodin. He really did.

* * *

In the living room, Wilson saw Cuddy's disappointment as she saw him dry-swallow two Vicodin and limp towards them with a determined, focused expression.

"Got a case" said the diagnostician not looking at Cuddy. House just wouldn't let him do it, _damn that guy_.

Cuddy nodded, allowing professionalism to hide her disappointment and hurt "you should go then" she said.

* * *

Without another word, House headed out and limped, in as quick a stride as he could, to his motorcycle.

* * *

Within seconds of him leaving, Wilson and Cuddy heard the shudder of the motorcycle starting and the 'whoosh' as he sped off.

Wilson had said that he had no intention of letting House leave. But something else that he had no intention of doing, was fighting House. Because, even without a thigh muscle, he was sure that the diagnostician, when pumped full of puzzle-induced adrenaline, could kick his ass.

But Cuddy's face was breaking his heart. She looked crushed, her eyes glistening. He knew she didn't want to let it show, but him going there had meant a lot to her. And him leaving, had had the same effect as giving a five year old a stick of candy, and promptly taking it away.

"Why don't you just tell him?" he asked frustrated.

"What? So he can walk away just like he did now? Wilson, he's only interested while he's got nothing better to focus on."

"Cuddy, you've known him for longer than I have. Have you ever seen him fight off the urge to go prove Lupus wrong as hard as he did today?" he asked her, leaning forwards, his elbows on his knees and his hands touching "Cuddy, you know he cares"

She nodded "I thought he did. Coming here, the …" she stopped herself, she wasn't going to mention the kiss, she wasn't going to turn something that had meant so much to her into something to be analysed and poked around in the mess of a relationship they had. No, they had silently agreed to not mention it, and she was fine with it "… It seemed like he might, I thought you might have been right … but …" she looked towards the door, a tear falling down her cheek. She sighed "I'm really tired …"

Wilson realised that there was no point arguing this with her, it wasn't her fault that House was a jack ass, and there was no real point in persuading her that he did love her without first ensuring that he was ready to act on it. Because if she finally believed it and he stepped back, it would be only slightly less cruel than torturing her; and Wilson couldn't do that to his friend.

"Come on, I'll help you to the bed room" he said standing and offering her his hand.

"Thanks" she whispered as she took it and allowed him to walk her to her bed.

Once she was safely lying on her side of the bed, he smiled and bid her a goodnight before promising to lock the door and leaving.

Now totally alone, Cuddy's mind raced. She could hear the low whistle of wind blowing through the glass House had broken; she could smell his scent on her clothes and her sheets where he'd been sitting. She missed him. So much. She knew it was asking too much for him to stay. He wouldn't have. But she wanted him to. She really, _really _wanted him to.

And as she thought of House and tears fell down her cheeks, Cuddy sighed and drifted off to sleep. At least in her dreams it didn't hurt as bad. At least there the baby's kicks were more of a comfort than a reminder of the man she loved, wanted and couldn't have.

**TBC**

* * *

_Ok, so when I said 'slightly sad note', I meant incredibly depressing and frustrating. But as I said, rest assured that the next chappie brings in some sweet Huddyness … I hope (I know, I'm so evil)_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hi, guys! So, here's chapter 17 (when did I get to 17?!) … I know I promised Huddyness in this one, and I guess towards the end it builds up to it, but … See, I fully intended to have this as a really Huddy chapter … but then I started writing it and realised that I'd have to split it into two chapters … much like "House's head" and "Wilson's heart" … although I'd probably call these next two chapters "House's head" and "House's heart" … On the upside, the next chapters is already written and ready to be posted, so as soon as you guys read this and review (:D) I'll post it and give you all … more or less … what you've been looking for :D_

_Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, I'm so happy so many of you are liking this :D_

_  
Enjoy!_

* * *

When House finally arrived at PPTH, he parked his bike and limped to his office, hoping to have a fresh new puzzle to start working on. Anything to keep his mind of that odd feeling in his gut. The one he was sure was guilt.

"What do we have?" he asked Foreman, Thirteen, Taub and Kutner as he entered the room.

As the four exchanged looks, House inwardly cursed, he wasn't going to like this.

"Well, we're still waiting for the results. White count is elevated, and we're running an ANA, but we're pretty sure it's autoimmune" said Thirteen as Kutner nodded, Taub looked at Foreman and Foreman looked at House, sensing a yelling session coming on.

"So, basically you have nothing different than you did when you called me half an hour ago?" asked House, his anger growing. Greg was getting his say in this, and he wasn't happy at all! "You dragged me here, at night, for a case that we have nothing on?" he asked looking around at one of his old ducklings and all the new ones "You keep wanting to be the boss, acting like one, well why the hell can't you deal with this on your own?" he asked shouting directly at Foreman. He did have a point there.

Without another word, House limped into his office and, closing the blinds, sat on his trusted yellow chair.

This wasn't going to work. The security light reminded him of how her legs looked in it. The light of the phone reminded him of all the times she called to yell at him. There was no escaping the woman, not when her sent was mingled in the very fibres of your clothes and the taste of her lips still lingered on yours. Oh no, as soon as House realised the puzzle was going to take a little longer to solve, he metaphorically sat back down, and Greg took the opportunity to make some sort of stance.

* * *

"Where are you going?" asked Thirteen as she saw House walk past their common room in his leather jacket, his backpack on his back.

"Home. Don't call me until well after 10!" he yelled back limping away.

"What now?" asked Kutner in a voice that one would usually attribute to a lost puppy in some adorable cartoon.

Everyone merely shrugged and looked at Foreman their now, not-so-fearless leader.

* * *

House's house was nothing like Cuddy's. On a normal day, he'd claim that it was a much better place. But now, the high of the puzzle gone, he wasn't so sure. Of course, he was a big fan of the big empty place. No one to bother him, everything chaotic but in its own strange way organized, his Vicodin reachable at all and every points of the place. It was his little piece of heaven, the one place where House could be House, or Greg could be Greg. But tonight, he felt that it was lacking, something.

And Greg being Greg right now wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to sleep, because in sleep, both Greg and House finally shut up and the tired body and brain could relax, all and any dreams numbed by the power of the Vicodin.

It was exactly what he wanted. Two Vicodin and a bed. Nothing more nothing less. Well, not in that precise moment, anyway.

But sleep didn't come easy either.

He'd dropped his cane at the entrance and limped through the whole process of dressing. White t-shirt was easy enough to put on. Right arm, left arm, over the head. Simple. The trousers, not so simple. Without a cane, and unwilling to, even when alone, use objects to clasp onto, he made the decision to dress on the spot. Right leg up. Painful but tolerable. One pant leg on. Light left leg up. Fall forwards. He cursed as he clung onto the bed.

He hated his leg. He hated that he couldn't use it, that it made him a cripple, that it constantly reminded him of her, the woman who had taken the muscle away, the one who had been in the OR and the one that he _hadn't_ driven away after it happened.

And then the thought struck him as he turned around to lean on the bed and pull the pants finally up. Fathers were supposed to toss footballs with their sons, run around and have a good time, they were supposed to take their daughters to ballet lessons and walk them into school in the mornings. What kind of kid would want _him_ to do any of that? Firstly, he wouldn't be able to play around with a son like other fathers, and he certainly wouldn't be the kind of man that a little girl would want to present to her friends. He just wasn't fit for it. He knew it. He accepted it. So why the _hell_ was he so disturbed by it? Why did he constantly think about what it would be like if he weren't that guy?

Climbing backwards onto his bed, House pulled the covers over himself and focused on sleeping. It wasn't really something you had to 'focus' on, not really. It actually more or less required a lack of focus. That could be the reason why he didn't sleep. Sleep always had a way of escaping when you willed it to come. It was another of those things in life that you just learn to accept.

But he had a feeling that this time, it was something else keeping the sleep away. Even with the Vicodin numbing him, even with his rationalisations, he still felt it. He still missed her, and wanted her, and needed her. He missed seeing her sitting behind a huge belly; he missed the rare moments where he actually felt his child kick. He really did.

After what could have been a minute, 15, and hour or eternity, House gave up on sleep. It just wasn't going to happen; he had to just accept it. Move on to the next best thing. Music.

He limped to his piano and laid his fingers on the keys. They were so perfect, pearly white and shiny black. Perfectly tuned, perfectly shaped. Flawless. Unlike him. Keys never lied. You pressed one, and you knew what sound you would get. Humans were different. They always lied, you never knew what to expect with them. That's why he didn't like them. They were volatile, changing. He hated change.

The first notes filled the room and he closed his eyes, letting his fingers glide over the keys, not even registering what notes he was playing. But they were so perfect, so right. So …

He knew the words, they filled his mind but, like so many others, failed to escape his lips.

_In every heart there is a room  
A sanctuary safe and strong  
To heal the wounds from lovers past  
Until a new one comes along_

_I spoke to you in cautious tones  
You answered me with no pretence  
And still I feel I said too much  
My silence is my self defence_

And every time I've held a rose  
It seems I only felt the thorns  
And so it goes, and so it goes  
And so will you soon I suppose

The piano was depressing him. It was beautiful, pure. Too pure, too truthful. He didn't need it's blunt accusations, it perfect truths and its beautiful tones. He needed something different, something … he spotted his guitar.

That was different, it was a mixture of sounds creating one, like his feelings. _That_ was perfect. He picked it up as he sat on the piano stool. Tuning it, turning the knobs slightly as he leaned his head to the left and closed his eyes.

He wouldn't go over there, he decided as he changed from the E string to the B string. He wasn't going to go over there and start all this again. He couldn't bear to hurt her anymore. He couldn't bear to make himself live with it anymore. Sooner or later, he'd have to make a decision. And he was scared of the one House would impose on him, he was too aware of his power over Greg. He was too aware that, if he kept caring and analysing, he'd end up doing something he'd regret, even if it was what he wanted to do. Or at least, what he thought he wanted to do.

As he reached the final E string and tuned it almost to perfection, he promised it to himself. He wasn't going to hurt her anymore, because he couldn't take the effect that it had on him. He'd leave her alone, let her have their baby, watch her raise the child to its great potential, and love them both from a distance. It was the best for all involved. Well, at least it was the best for Cuddy and the baby. And, at that moment, House heard some small voice inside of him yell "_women and children first_". Yes. And the captain goes down with the ship. He was willing to live with it. It was the order of things. It was how they happened, no arbitrariness, no randomness. This, he could understand.

His fingers strummed chords as the others found the right spaces and soon, he was giving up on the guitar just like he had the piano. He had always thought music was the one great escape, the one perfect way of secluding yourself in a world where anything you wanted could happen. Where you're on a highway to hell, smoke on the water all around you and some hotel in California ready to take you in. But right now, he was realising that, it wasn't all as perfect as it seemed. 'Living easy' and 'living free', not needing 'reason or rhyme', with no one to 'slow you down' seemed great, but at some point the smoke was going to cloud your eyes and you'd realise that that hotel was a trap, it 'could be heaven or it could be hell' and you could 'check out any time you liked, but you could never leave'.

Resisting the urge to smash something, House put the guitar down at his feet and looked at the cabinet behind the piano where he had his trusted stash of Scotch whisky. His trusted friend. Sleep had failed, piano had failed, guitar had failed, maybe a little bit of scotch with the Vicodin would succeed. Maybe.

Just as he was about to get up, he heard the phone ring next to the couch, for a few instants, he considered ignoring it, it was probably just Foreman, but then again, maybe yelling at Foreman would help ease his mind a little.

"What?" he asked harshly as he held the receiver to his ear, standing up, still determined to get his scotch.

But he stopped half way there as he heard a sob on the other side. And not just any sob either, a female sob, her sob.

"_House?_" came her voice from the phone. He felt his grip tighten around it. So much for forgetting all about her "_House?!_" she almost shouted "_Are you there?_"

Regaining the power of speech, he cleared his throat and answered "Yea, I'm here"

On the other end, House just heard Cuddy break down further.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a soft voice, something he didn't really recognize in himself and something he was sure Cuddy would have found strange, had she been in a state to find anything anything.

From that point on, House wasn't sure what Cuddy had said. Between the crying, he'd caught only snippets of the conversation. But what he did catch had him worried. Sure, he'd promised himself to stay away, but when the woman you loved more than your own cane called you in a panic, crying about the baby she was carrying, a baby that just so happened to be yours, there was no promise strong enough to keep you back. At least that's what House found out as he told her he'd be right there and ran/limped out the door.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Well, hello again :D So I hear you guys aren't too fond of cliffies … :P  
After all the pleading (and all the awesome reviews), I decided that I might as well give you this today (even though I was saving it for Wednesday) … Now, I think it's a really sweet chapter, and I think you _will_ consider this to be an extremely 'huddyliscious' one. Also, it's opening the way for a whole new stage in the story .. one that I think you're going to like :D_

_I'd just like to clear one thing up. Foetus can be spelt either this way or as Fetus, both are correct (yes, I did look it up)_

_Also, thank you all so much for your reviews and I look forwards to reading more of them as I sit here and ponder what on earth I'm going to name this huddy baby … _

_  
Enjoy!_

* * *

As she heard the sound she'd been waiting for, Cuddy looked towards the front door and whipped, as best she could, her tears away. It was him. The oddly comforting sound of wood on wood as he used his cane to knock.

Hobbling on her foot, a hand splayed protectively over her stomach, Cuddy made her way to the door.

* * *

Standing outside her home, House wasn't sure what to do or say. He wasn't even entirely sure what it was that had gotten Cuddy into such a state of desperation that she had called _him_, of all people.

He could see the events unfolding, he knocked, she'd open the door and … what? What was he supposed to do? Did he let her see how scared _he_ was? Did he act like his normal self?

And as she opened the door, House realised he didn't have to decide. His body acted for him. As she stood there, her beautiful grey eyes turned green, tears staining her perfect cheeks, a hint of red surrounding her eyes, he took a step forwards and she did the rest. Breaking into sobs, Cuddy fell into his arms. And he didn't push her away.

He held her for a while. Neither of them speaking. For a long time, he felt her tears soak his shirt, and her hands tightening and loosening their grip on his back. But now she was calming down, her head turned to her right, quite possibly listening to his heart beat. Knowing she couldn't see him, House closed his eyes. He loved her. So much. He loved the feeling of her against them, of her belly growing between them. And that's when his stomach churned. Before, whenever they'd been close, he'd felt the little kicks. Now there weren't any.

"Cuddy?" he asked applying a little bit of pressure with his hand on her shoulder so she'd look at him. When she didn't, he placed a soft kiss on her head, inhaling the fresh scent of her shampoo and called again "Cuddy?"

Now she looked at him, her breathing calm, but her face panicked.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, rubbing light circles on her shoulder blade with his thumb.

He heard her sniff and his heart broke as she stepped away from him and limped towards her room. He followed her.

"Cuddy?" he asked again taking a seat next to her on the bed.

"I can't feel it" she said simply.

"What?" asked House

"The baby" she said as she wiped away another tear "usually, when I get up and walk around, like I did when I woke up, I can feel the kicks. But now I can't"

"Cuddy" said House with a small smile that could be either a product of relief or of how beautiful she looked right then "maybe it's just asleep …" he added

But Cuddy shook her head, and his heart sank again as she started crying "no, I thought so too, but it's been two hours since I woke up! I know I should be in bed, but I walked around for a while. The baby should have woken up!" she cried looking down at her stomach, both hands pressed to it as she cried. Then, slowly she used her left hand to grab his and placed it where hers had been "see?" she asked.

House had no idea what to do. Cuddy could have a point, he knew the best thing to do was go to the hospital, get her checked out. But right then, his rational side was gone. As she sobbed, he lifted his right hand and brushed it lightly down her arm. At the touch, Cuddy looked up at him, her eyes meeting his again.

"You should go to the hospital" said House ready to stand up. But she held him back.

"No" she shook her head. She couldn't take the bad news. She knew it was inevitable, she'd have to do it, and she'd have to sit there, listening to a doctor tell her that it hadn't worked, having to accept that it just wasn't meant to be. But she couldn't do it now. It was all too raw, too painful.

"Cuddy …" he said again this time using the palm of his hand to touch her shoulder lightly "you know you have to …"

"I can't …" she sobbed in a small voice "I just …" she fell into House's arms and he gladly wrapped them around her.

"Lise …" he whispered into her hair, hoping it would have a calming effect. It seemed to. Cuddy looked up at him; her tear stained yes focusing on his blue, determined ones "please"

Cuddy wasn't sure why he was pleading, why he had that look on his face. But it was definitely there. Greg House was pleading to her, begging her to get checked out. Could Wilson _really_ have been right?

House didn't recognize his own voice as he begged Cuddy to go to the hospital. But he couldn't bare the thought of something being wrong with the baby. As her eyes searched his, he feared that she might be reading his thoughts, that she might realise everything. So he closed them. And she closed hers. And they leaned into each other. Foreheads, noses, lips. The sadness enveloping them escaped between them as they kissed for the second time in that day. And this time, Greg knew House wouldn't screw it up. Because, as they let themselves fall back onto the bed and broke apart, Cuddy scooted closer to him, laying her head on his chest and, his hand still resting on her stomach, House felt no need for Vicodin, he didn't want to leave, he didn't want a puzzle. He wanted to pull her as close to him as he could. And he did.

After a few moments, he realised she was asleep. Fast asleep, the exhaustion and the fear finally getting to her as she took in even, deep breaths, her hand resting on his chest just next to her face.

Looking down at her growing abdomen, House shifted his hand.

"Come on, little guy …" he whispered as he shifted his hand yet again. But there was nothing.

Or was there? He shifted his hand again and waited. As his right hand pulled Cuddy closer, he felt a little bump. Small, but real. After a few more seconds and a few more kicks, he relaxed; smiling into Cuddy's sleeping face.

"You're beautiful" he whispered brushing his lips to her forehead. And he felt her snuggle closer. It was surprisingly easy to say what he felt when she couldn't hear him. It felt liberating. Because it was true. She was beautiful. Her face was tear stained, her lips held no smile and her eyes were puffy from crying, and yet she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

Relief washing over him, House closed his eyes. Feeling the pressure her smaller body was exerting on his, and loving how every inch she touched tingled.

His hand still where he had left it, House tapped his finger and received a little kick in return. In his mind, he smiled. '_You're so my kid_' he thought. After all, tricking your mother into a panic so that she'd call your father and end up sleeping in his arms was the kind of cunning trickery someone would expect of House. And as it seemed, the little guy or girl growing beneath his hand, would turn out to be just a little chip off the old block. '_Way to go, kid_' he thought and tapped again. He took the little push back on his hand as a sort of high-five. In those few seconds, he'd made a powerful ally.

Kicking off his shoes, House allowed himself to drift away.

Vaguely aware of House's last words, Cuddy felt a small smile creep on her lips. She felt his breathing even out and knew he was asleep.

She'd always wanted a man who would walk in to find her in her sweats, crying, hair a mess, no make up on, and who would still say 'your beautiful' and mean it. She hadn't, however, ever expected that man to be Greg House. But she was happy that it was.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hi again! Sorry for the long-ish wait, but in my defence, I've had a 'mild' (and by that I mean huge) virus/spyware infection on my beloved computer and so have been having a lot of problems doing anything on it. Though now it seems to have cleared, so here I am … back posting chapters … and not just any chapters either, if this is anything to go by, nice, sweet, huddyliscious chapters :P_

_I hope you enjoy this, and keep reviewing as much as you have, because if there's anything that lifts the anger of having a virus infested computers, is an inbox full of lovely reviews :D_

_  
Enjoy!_

* * *

The next morning, Cuddy was the first to wake up. She had, after all, been the first to fall asleep. Besides, there was only so long one could sleep with a baby pressing onto one's bladder.

As she opened her eyes, a male face came into view. House's. And suddenly, the previous night flooded back to her. The fear, the comfort she'd felt in his arms. Their kiss. She smiled.

She was lying partially on top of Dr. Greg House who had an arm wrapped around her waste, the other reaching over to touch her stomach. And that's when she realised that she could feel the baby again. He or she was happily kicking more or less on the spot where House's hand rested. And Cuddy smiled again. Baby liked House …

But before her thoughts could move any further, she was hit with the overwhelming need to pee and so, standing up slowly and reaching for House's cane to help her limp with her cut foot, Cuddy made her way to the bathroom.

It was the sound of the bathroom flush that woke House up. He had been happily sleeping, but now he realised that there was something missing as he realised that he couldn't feel the pressure Cuddy's body exerted on his. He sighed looking around groggily. Where was she? Where was his cane? That's when he saw her walk out of the bathroom leaning on his cane. He smiled.

And as he looked at Cuddy, House realised that something had changed. As soon as that little baby had kicked his hand the previous night, he had decided that _he_ was going to change. And that was something no one would ever have expected from him. He knew he'd hit several walls along the way, he'd probably fall flat on his face more often than not, but eventually, he figured, he'd get there. He'd always avoided change. But it couldn't be that bad, could it? Cuddy had changed. She'd gone from having the most desirable body he knew to being six months pregnant and that change hadn't done anything to how much he wanted her. If anything, it had made him want her more, though, he admitted, that could have something to do with the increased fun-bag size … or with the fact that it was _his_ baby that she was carrying.

If nothing else, House was a rational man, he liked logic. And right then, logic and reason were telling him that change could be good. And if logic and reason said so, then who was he to deny it?

"It suits you" said House looking both at Cuddy's extended abdomen and his cane in her hand. Cuddy looked at him suspiciously, half expecting him to get up and leave at any moment.

"Morning" she said with a smile when he just looked at her, waiting for some response.

"Morning" he nodded to her, extending his hand so she'd give him the cane.

"Oh, sorry" she said placing the handle in his hand.

Nodding in response, House stood and headed to the bathroom.

Sure, he wanted to be a nicer guy and treat Cuddy well. He wanted to be polite and fun. But he wasn't about to do a total 180 on her. Especially not when she was carrying his baby in a high-risk pregnancy. Besides, gradually letting Cuddy know what how he felt would be _so_ much more fun than just doing it quickly.

* * *

Now in the bathroom, House started thinking again; he'd been doing an awful lot of that lately. The bathroom was said to be a man's sanctuary, it was where most thinking got done, really, and for Greg House, it was no different.

As he thought about all the potential consequences of his recent decision, he reached a very large brick wall. The baby. Sure, he wanted the baby, and he wanted Cuddy. But while he knew Cuddy accepted him for who he was, he couldn't expect a child to think the same. He didn't want to be the father his child had but hated. He'd rather not be a part of his or her life than have them hate him. And so he made a second decision, this one, he noted, so much more in character and yet, so much harder to make.

He'd be there for Cuddy. For as long as she wanted him there. But as soon as the baby was born, he'd go; he'd bow out gracefully and watch from the sidelines. With the new baby, Cuddy wouldn't miss him and the baby wouldn't ever know him, not as his or her father. Maybe as uncle Greg, maybe as the annoying diagnostician that drove their mommy up the walls, but not as their father. It was the best course of action, he decided. He had always been able to distance himself from people. Now shouldn't be any different. He'd been in love with Cuddy for over 20 years and had lived with it everyday, content with having her around the hospital. He would be able to do the same with the baby, he was sure.

"House?" came a knock on the door "You want breakfast?" asked Cuddy.

* * *

After getting a simple 'sure' from House, Cuddy hobbled, gripping the walls as she went, towards the kitchen and started preparing something to eat. Right then she was craving a good, decent breakfast. She looked around in her fridge and found some turkey bacon, sausages, eggs, plenty of fruit, and corn flakes. What more could a very pregnant administrator want?

"I hope you like bacon" said Cuddy as she heard House limp into the kitchen behind her.

Sure, House loved bacon, but what he loved even more was coffee, nice warm, strong coffee. The kind that feels like a kick in the back and propels you out of that mist of sleep that would otherwise surround you all day.

House nodded, knowing that she couldn't see him and pulled the coffee pot out of the machine. Empty. Figures, pregnant women don't drink coffee.

"Oh, coffee" she said turning around and getting ready to open the cupboard where she kept the fine brown powder.

"I got it" said House reaching it before she even had her arm half-way up

"Ok, thanks" she said and kept eying him suspiciously while he searched around the shelves.

Once the coffee was brewed, the bacon crispy and the scrambled eggs and sausages warm, Cuddy took the plates to the small kitchen table and sat down. Following her, House sat down in front of her and they silently commenced eating.

It was quite an odd sight for anyone to see. Total silence. Two people who lived their lives in constant arguments where sitting at a kitchen table, taking turns to serve themselves, occasionally looking up to the other, never meeting each other's eyes; and all this, in total and complete silence.

Cuddy wasn't sure what to make of the situation. House was being civil, he wasn't talking much, but he was being civil. He'd helped her out with breakfast, he hadn't yet made any sarcastic comments, and his mere presence had the baby kicking frantically.

And then they both felt a jolt of electricity as their bare feet brushed together under the table. Both their eyes shot up. He had a forkful of bacon hovering just outside his mouth; she had her napkin a few inches away from her's. But as their eyes met, they froze.

Cuddy thought the best thing to do was to slowly move her foot away from his. There was no point scarring him. He was very obviously not mentioning the kiss. Either of them. And she was enjoying his presence too much to drive him away.

House's thoughts were the exact opposite. He loved the contact. He didn't want her to pull away, and when she slowly did, he moved his foot to counter her. Again, Newton's third law.

Cuddy looked down at her lap and back up to his face. He was absolutely unreadable. His face showed nothing, but she was 110% sure that she had felt his foot, she knew that he had moved closer to her when she'd moved back. It was like House's upper body and lower body had detached. His hands proceeded to cut his food, his face looking absolutely normal. However under the table, he was slowly stroking her foot with his, and she knew that, at some point, those two halves had to connect. He knew what he was doing, and that left her wondering what it could mean.

Not about to break the spell, Cuddy too went back to her breakfast, occasionally looking up at him, a smile growing on her face as his other foot locked her's between itself and it's partner.

**TBC**

* * *

_Also, I was just wondering, for those of you who have read the most recent House and Huddy spoilers (like me, and yes, I am ashamed of my lack of control), what are you thinking? I personally can't wait for "Big Baby" … and I ESPECIALLY can't wait for "The Greater Good" (Aka episode 100! :D)_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hello guys! So here's the new chapter, I know I haven't updated in a while (by my standards, anyway), but here I am, back and happy to report that this is the longest chapter so far. It's setting up again, for something I hope you'll like. I'm not sure whether to consider this a very eventful chapter or not. Because psychologically, there's a lot going on with these characters, but really, action wise, there isn't that much … well, I'll let you be the judge of that, after all, when I read my fics, even months later, I fail to see them like other people do … _

_Anyway, I'm off to proof read it and post it … please keep the lovely reviews coming, and I'll try to keep the Huddyness coming as frequently as possible … _

_  
Thanks, and Enjoy!_

* * *

Breakfast ended at about 10 am. And for a few seconds, the two doctors just sat there, occasionally looking at each other, taking sips of the last of their orange juices and revelling in the contact their bodies had beneath the table.

Eventually, they had to break apart and the feeling that enveloped them as Cuddy stood and House reached for his cane, took them both by surprise. It was like everything had gotten colder all of a sudden, and that wasn't even taking into consideration the fact that it was _technically_ still winter. They immediately missed the other's touch, and both found their minds rushing over the different ways to regain the much needed contact.

As Cuddy started to wash the dirty dishes, House hesitated on his spot by the table. He already had his cane hovering a few inches of the floor, ready to head in her direction, after all, he had already learnt, from experience, that women appreciated a man who helped around the house. But yet, a part of him was holding him back. It could be too much. Not just for him, but for her. He was giving this a try, but no one knew that. If she realised it, and he came to the conclusion that he just couldn't do it, it'd be bad; very, very bad.

"Uh …" he started, that was a good way to go, he figured. Ask her. If she wanted help, he'd give it. If she didn't, he'd go sit in the living room and, for the 50th time in three days, contemplate his life and what the hell he was going to do with it.

Unfortunately for House, Cuddy was already on the defensive. She was scared that she was reading too much into his actions. She was scared that if she became sure of their meaning and reciprocated some kind of affection, that he would retreat and it would all end up meaning nothing. So she took his hesitant "uh" as meaning that he didn't want to help her but thought he had to offer, rather than as him wanting to help her, but not knowing how to say so.

"It's ok" she said, her eyes fixed on the plate in her hands as she stood at the sink, her back to him "I'll be done in a minute"

Looking at her for a few more seconds, House moved out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. Normally, he would have moved into the living room, but his earlier action of moving the TV to her room had now made it basically mandatory that he stay there. After all, when one distraction is busy washing dishes, go with the second best one.

Just as he stole the pillow from Cuddy's side of the bed and placed it behind his back along with the spare one, House felt a vibration on his belt and looked down to see his pager blinking on and off.

_Foreman_

House thought about it. He had said that he didn't want to be called before 10, and it was a little past 10. So the ducklings had followed his orders. But he still didn't want to answer. Especially not when he heard the water stop running in the kitchen followed by the sound of bare feet on a wooden floor. Heading his way.

Switching his pager off, House looked to the doorway to see Cuddy walking in, quickly wiping her slightly wet hands on her trousers.

"Don't you have work to do?" she asked him, unsure of what on earth to say.

Looking quickly at his pager to ensure that it _was_ turned off and wouldn't betray him, House shook his head "I told them not to page me until they had results. No page, no work" he reasoned.

And again Cuddy was lost for words. She had kind of hoped that he did have work to do. Not that she wanted him to leave, but she knew that at very least she'd be able to get a good 10 minutes of arguing with him about it before he made the decision to stay or go. But this, him just sitting there and nothing to be said between them, that wasn't something she knew how to handle.

Actually, that wasn't entirely true. Rather, it was true that she didn't know how to handle it, it wasn't true, however, that they had nothing to say to each other. In fact, it could be said that they had _a lot_ to say to each other. But those conversations didn't seem like a very likely option, not really, not when the people concerned where two of the most stubborn human beings ever born.

And that brought another thought into Cuddy's mind. If they were as stubborn as all that, would the baby also be? Would the little baby growing inside her be the same as his or her father? The same as her? A mixture?

As he saw the smile grow on her face and her hand move to her stomach, House realised what Cuddy was thinking about. Well, he didn't actually know the specifics of it. But he was pretty sure it had something to do with the, uh, foetus.

And with a sudden surprise, he realised that he was back to calling _it_ a foetus. It was just easier. If he was going to leave, if he was going to distance himself, he would have to revert back to that. Baby was already too personal and, if you think about it, 'baby' doesn't even individualise the being. House _really_ was in danger of getting attached.

"Do you really think it'll be a boy?" Cuddy asked him, catching him completely off guard. After everything he'd been thinking, beginning a conversation about the baby was the last thing on his mind. It was the very last thing he needed.

"Uh …" he stuttered a little as Cuddy sat down on her side of the bed and looked at him "… I don't know"

Cuddy sighed and leaned back. Then stopped.

Looking over at House she saw a smirk cover his face as she straightened again. Reaching over to his side, she grabbed one of the pillows and tried to pull from behind him. But here merely leaned back on it more.

And all of a sudden, there was a game to be played again, awkwardness was gone and they had something to fight over.

"House, come on" she said trying to take the high, adult road.

When he didn't budge and simply pressed the 'on' button on the TV remote, she tried to push his arm away from her as she pulled the pillow towards her. Again, fail.

* * *

Meanwhile at the hospital, Foreman was pacing angrily in the conference room. He had the results, in fact, he'd had them for over two hours. House had asked not to be bothered until 10 am. He had, begrudgingly, followed his orders. But now he was just angry.

"So …" started Kutner, as always, looking around like a lost puppy "… what do we do?"

It took a few more moments for anyone to speak, eventually, it was Taub who finally broke the silence.

"Wilson" he said

"What?" asked Foreman, his mind too busy thinking of ways to get back at House to process what Taub actually meant "our patient doesn't have cancer …"

Now it was Thirteen who cut in "Not for the patient … Wilson could get House here" she said looking around at her other two colleagues as Kutner nodded and Taub looked at Foreman, waiting for an answer.

* * *

"With a patient" came Wilson's voice from the other side of the door. But no one seemed to take notice.

As the four diagnostics fellows opened the door, sure enough, they found a middle aged, balding man sitting in the patient's seat as Wilson scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"I know this is probably a bad time …" started Thirteen as Wilson suddenly looked up shocked. This was the kind of behaviour he'd learnt to expect from House, not from his fellows.

"…uh" started Kutner "… we can't find House …"

"And you thought I might be hiding him away in here?" asked Wilson looking at his patient with an apologetic look "well, I'm not … so go look for him somewhere else."

His distracted tone as he looked back down at the sheet told the four other doctors that they weren't going to get anywhere with him right then.

* * *

For the next 10 minutes, the four of them looked everywhere in the hospital. Cuddy's office, nothing. Every imaginable doctor's lounge, nothing. The clinic, obviously, nothing. The chapel … why'd they even look in there? Nothing.

Resigned to the fact that the man who believed himself to be god just simply wasn't in the building, the four of them returned to the oncologist's office.

* * *

"What is it now?" he asked looking up from his desk. Now he had no patient.

"House isn't in the hospital" said Kutner taking a step into the room to allow the other three in.

"And you're surprised, because?" queried Wilson leaning back on his chair.

Now it was Foreman's turn to reply "we have a patient with what seems to be lupus …" said Foreman "and House is completely MIA … we've paged him, called him …"

"Searched everywhere in the hospital" added Taub as Kutner nodded

"Well, have you ever considered the chance that he's just ignoring you?" asked Wilson with an amused look.

"You've known House longer than, I don't know, he's known himself" said Thirteen leaning on the wall "we have a guy with _lupus_, he wouldn't ignore that …"

Wilson had to admit she had a point. It was kind of odd for House to be ignoring the case. After all, if it had torn him away from Cuddy's side, there wasn't anything he, Wilson, knew of that could stop him now. So he began to grow worried.

"I'll try to find him" he sighed standing up

"And meanwhile what do _we_ do?" asked Taub leaning next to Thirteen "the patient is getting worse and worse and House isn't here to treat him …"

"Are you doctors?" asked Wilson placing his lab coat on the hanger and retrieving his normal coat "go treat him yourselves"

And with that he was gone.

* * *

Back at Cuddy's place, the fight was still going on.

"House …" she said again still pushing him away with one hand and pulling the pillow with the other.

"Yes?" he asked looking at her innocently.

The moment his eyes met hers, he became extremely aware of her hand on his shoulder. It was like the area had a beating heart of its own, he could feel his blood rushing there, he could feel the thumping of his heart there, and he feared that maybe, she could too.

"Didn't your mom teach you to share?" she asked keeping her hands in the same position.

As he looked at her and contemplated the effect she was having on him, House lost his position and she managed to steal one of the pillows away from him.

"Ha!" she exclaimed triumphantly as she placed the pillow behind her head and leaned back onto it staring at the TV while House regained his senses and glared at her.

It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair that she was using her effect on him to win … that's not how their games worked. Actually, their games worked in exactly the opposite way. They'd start the game, it'd go on with mutual efforts on both sides, he'd get to a point where he just desperately needed to win, he'd flash her a smile, or show some kind of emotion, or just simply stare her down with his blue eyes, and she'd cave. It never worked the other way round. He'd always been able to stand his ground. He'd always been able to keep his all-consuming attraction to her muffled in the back of his mind, at least in those moments.

Now there was no stopping it. One look at her, and he was lost. This was going to be much, much harder than he'd expected.

"So … is there a particular reason why we're watching this?" Cuddy asked as she stared at the TV screen where some sort of golf tournament was going on. Granted, golf might be a fairly entertaining sport, and a golf course certainly seemed to be the perfect setting for business deals to be made, but watching golf on TV was about as interesting as watching paint dry. And when every inch of your body was aching to jump the maddeningly handsome diagnostician beside you, you needed some serious entertainment to keep your self control.

Just realising what it was that they were watching, House changed the channel. Now they were watching a tennis tournament, in Spanish. Sure, tennis was more interesting, but only marginally. There are only so many times you can watch a tennis ball cross a net before you start associating the back and forth dance to your relationship with the previously mentioned doctor sitting next to you.

After a few more minutes of searching, Cuddy sighed and asked "wanna watch a movie?"

House looked at her, wondering whether or not to say yes. If he said no, they'd probably just sit there flicking through her channels in a fairly uncomfortable silence, but one where they were safe. If, on the other hand, he agreed to watch a movie, chances were they'd end up enveloped by some sort of hidden meaning again, and judging by what the last time had led to, he wasn't so sure about the wisdom of such a move.

But Cuddy had obviously made her own mind up, and was already half way out of bed. And just then, House felt something kick in that he had never felt before. Some would call it concern for a colleague; rather, _he_ would call it that. But he was pretty sure that, had Wilson been there, he would have called it 'paternal instinct'.

"Wait!" he said stopping her from actually leaving the bed. She looked at him confused. What the hell was he doing?

House looked at her incredulously, how could she not realise that, being on bed rest actually meant staying in bed as much as possible? She hadn't been doing much of that, and he was starting to worry.

"What do you want to watch?" he asked standing up and reaching for his cane.

"Uh …" she thought about it "you pick" she really hadn't had anything specific in mind "just, uh, nothing too heavy … maybe a comedy?"

House nodded and walked out of the room.

Left behind, Cuddy leaned back on her pillow and looked at his crumpled one at her side. What on earth was goin on? What was this? Who was this guy? What had he done with Greg House? And where did she have to sign to keep him?

This guy was caring, loving, he was … well, everything she'd ever wanted. Plus he looked like House which helped. But she didn't know if she should trust it. She knew all too well what it felt like to give herself to him completely and have it all thrown back at her. She wasn't going to let him do that to her again. But maybe if she treaded with caution, maybe if she just tested the water. Maybe this'd turn out to be something.

And that's how they both ended up on the same page. House treading cautiously not to scare Cuddy, not to scare himself back into his trusted cave of emotionless and painful existence, and Cuddy treading even more cautiously, trying to see what this was, trying to see what exactly it meant, and trying to see whether what she'd been wanting for months, years even, was finally standing right in front of her, waiting for her to make the necessary moves.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Heya people! So here's chapter 21 :D (YAY!) This one is one of my personal favourites. It isn't blatantly huddyliscious, but when you think about it, there is a lot packed into it :P_

_Also it's a particularly long one again seeing as recently I go several days without writing then, when I finally get down to it, I just can't stop. So I hope it's enough to make up for the wait :D_

_Thank you so much for your reviews, and please keep 'em coming! You've no idea how much they make me smile :D :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

A few minutes later, House returned holding a green DVD case in his hand.

"What did you pick?" asked Cuddy looking at the DVD, unable to remember when she'd ever bought it.

"MASH" he replied taking it out of the cover and heading to the DVD player. As the previously played DVD slid out, Cuddy saw House's back stiffen and she knew why. There, sticking half out of the player, was Gone with the Wind. Well, she figured, at least MASH wasn't the kind of movie that one can derive much romantic meaning from. At least she didn't think it was.

However, it only took about 15 minutes for her to be proven wrong.

* * *

Wilson stood on House's front step for 5 minutes, knocking, yelling and hearing the phone ring inside. This wasn't like House. Sure, he'd usually resist going to work, but this was really over doing it.

Finally fed up of being ignored, Wilson fished around in his briefcase and found the small silver key that fitted into House's front door. He'd always thought that not handing House's key back after moving out was a good move.

When he found that the apartment was completely empty, Wilson sat on the couch and pondered. Where the hell was House? Park? Off somewhere driving over the speed limit?

Sighing, Wilson registered the beep coming from his pager and saw that it was Foreman. The patient was deteriorating and they needed House.

He hated what he had to do, but he knew it was his only choice. There was one person, and one person only, in the whole wide world, short of Mick Jagger, that Greg House would listen to. And her name was Lisa Cuddy.

But right then, Wilson felt terrible calling her to fix yet _another_ House related problem. He knew how much Cuddy must be hurting, how tired she must be feeling. He knew he shouldn't be preoccupying her with work. But he had no other choice. He was a doctor. He had taken an oath; "do no harm". Well right then, _not_ calling Cuddy would cause the patient a whole lot of 'harm' … so he had to do it.

* * *

It was at about 15 minutes of movie that the first twinge of uncomfortable-ness presented itself. As Hawkeye, the tall, hilarious surgeon walked into the mess hall and looked at the beautiful lieutenant, Cuddy realised how wrong she had been about the movie. Once could derive romantic meaning from it. And apparently House had realised this too, because he was looking out of the corner of his eye at her, not moving his neck.

A few more scenes in, and the two officers were lying in bed making out like teenagers. But she stopped and told him she was married.

And House thought. He thought about all the times he'd interrupted Cuddy's dates, all the lengths he'd gone to to scare them off. He would never have been able to bare the feeling of her marrying one of them. Of her carrying any of _their_ children. She was his. He knew it was a very cave-man like attitude. But he also knew that, had she ever walked down the isle with anyone else – and that wasn't to say that _he_ wanted to marry her – he would have been the drunken lunatic crashing through the church doors yelling "I object" even before the priest had spoken the infamous words. And as that thought came to an end, House felt Cuddy's little finger brush his as her hand rested by his on the bed.

Cuddy had similar thoughts. She had never really told him, or anyone for that matter, but House didn't need to scare off her dates, she always ended up doing it herself. She needed to get rid of them. She needed to feel close to someone, for however brief a time, but when it all came back to reality, that 'someone' was never who she wanted. So she'd get a page from work and leave, and by the time she returned, the male socks would have been picked up, and their owner would be gone. It was how she lived, because she knew that, should she ever take a trip down the isle with anyone other than the blue eyed diagnostician sitting next to her –and yes, that was to say she wanted to – _she_ would have been the sobbing lunatic yelling out "I object" even before the priest had began with "Dearly beloved…"

And then she too felt his finger brush hers. And she inched closer. The movie forgotten. It had served its not-anticipated purpose and was no just background noise. Now she could feel a couple of his other fingers and, pretty soon, his whole hand.

House held his hand stiff. He was holding her's no doubt. His fingers were curled around her soft skin just as much as hers were curled around his rough one. But he was still. He didn't want to be the one to initiate any movement.

As his fear gripped him, Cuddy saw an opportunity to, metaphorically, put a toe in the water; test the temperature as it were. So she moved her thumb, just a fraction of an inch, just to make sure that his hand was still there. And it was, or at least, whatever was there was responsive, because she got a similar response from its thumb. And so she moved again, and he moved again, and the whole thing, as was usual, became a game.

House liked this, covering the intimacy of the gesture with a game. It was his MO, he was in his comfort zone, so he had not trouble caressing Cuddy's hand, each time for a little longer than she had done to him. It was their little dance, their little play for dominance.

When they both started to get frustrated, House's grip tightened and Cuddy's hand clasped around his in response. And they finally looked at each other. Each with a frown and a determined look in their eyes.

"Give it up" he said knowing that this part of the game she could not win

"Never" she replied staring back at him with just as much determination as him.

And there they stayed for about a minute, a staring contest going on at the same time as they matched strengths with their hands.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Holding House's gaze for a few more seconds, Cuddy tried to pull her hand away from him to grab the phone ringing on her bed-side table. But he wouldn't let go. So she scowled at him a little, then used her other hand to get the phone.

"Hello?" she asked, staring at House, willing him to let go. But he didn't move, just increased his grip a little.

"_Cuddy?_" came Wilson's voice from the other end "_sorry to be calling you … but we have a problem_"

Glaring at House now as he continued their little game, the contact between their hands making her heart race, the baby kick and her mind cloud over, Cuddy spoke calmly "What is it?"

"_Well, eh, I didn't want to call you about this … not after … but, uh …_" he paused.

On Cuddy's end there was a sudden whisper of "give up" from some male that Wilson couldn't quite identify.

"no" mouthed Cuddy in response, breathing out as she did, causing the silent movement to become a low word.

"_Cuddy?_" asked Wilson suddenly confused.

"Give up" came another whisper, this time Wilson thought he recognised the voice, but didn't believe it.

"Fine" Cuddy whispered back about to retrieve her hand. But he held on with a mischievous grin on his face as she glared at him.

"I'm sorry, James. What were you saying?" she asked again as House got that look on his face, the one that said he had an idea, and not just any idea. He had found some way to embarrass Cuddy.

"Hey, Cuddles" he yelled towards the receiver, pulling her hand a little closer to him as she flinched and glared at him, hating that he'd done that.

"_Is that_ …" started Wilson. Could it really be? "_Is _House_ there?!_" he asked in an almost whisper, not quite sure what to think.

"Unfortunately" she sighed into the receiver as she tried to retrieve her hand again but failed.

"_Uh … are you alright?_" asked Wilson in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine …" she said again trying to take her hand back from him, this time adding a little more strength to the movement pulling his hand into _her_ personal space, inches from the kicking baby "he was just leaving" she said pointedly at House as he continued to smirk.

"Party pants!" he called again, making it sound like he wasn't in the room "get your ass back here!"

"_Cuddy?_" asked Wilson

Cuddy could have very easily just told Wilson what was going on. But somehow she didn't want to. She loved these games just as much as House did. It was fun to watch his eyes sparkle as he came up with his plots; it was thrilling to feel like she had to hide something, even when she didn't. This was one of the reasons she loved him. He was unpredictable. Unpredictable and spontaneous. There weren't many of those guys around anymore.

"I'm sorry James. Ignore him" she said shifting the receiver a little "You were saying?" she asked

Maybe it was the tone in her voice, maybe it was the feeling in Wilson's stomach, maybe it was just his hope that House would get his act together and talk to Cuddy, but there was definitely _something_ that made him reply "_Oh, uh, nothing. Don't worry, I'll handle it …_" and with that he clicked off, leaving Cuddy holding the receiver away from her ear, her eyes still fixed on House's.

* * *

Sitting in House's empty apartment, Wilson stared at the receiver before putting it down.

House was at Cuddy's. He had gone there, of his own free will, at some point during the night. He had actually forgotten about a _lupus_ patient to be with her. Wilson wasn't about to screw whatever that meant up. Oh no. If House was at Cuddy's, if they were there, together, alone, then he wasn't going to be the one to pull them apart, not when there was so much they had to get through. So he picked the phone up again and dialled Foreman's number.

He'd worked with House before. Granted, he wasn't as brilliant as House, he wasn't an infectious diseases expert, and he knew very little about nephrology. But he was a doctor for god's sake. They all were. He could head the team, at least for this case, at least until House got overwhelmed and returned to the dark, safe confines of his office. He had Foreman, Thirteen, Taub, Kutner and, should he need them, he always had Cameron and Chase. Six highly skilled doctors, all of whom had worked under House. That had to count for something.

So he explained to Foreman that House wasn't going to be at work for a few days and, leaving the details completely vague and yet working the words so that it appeared that he'd given a reason – House would have been proud – Wilson told Foreman to report to him, and to do what he felt was best for the patient. Then he put the receiver back on its holder and sighed.

_What would he do without me?_ The oncologist asked himself as he leaned back onto the black leather of House's couch.

* * *

"So" asked House in a perfectly normal tone, almost like the grip he had on Cuddy's hand and their staring contest were the most natural things in the world "what'd he want?"

"He didn't say" said Cuddy still glaring at him. Granted, she enjoyed his games, but she wasn't about to let him know that. As she intensified her glare, knowing perfectly well that no one, in their right mind, would mistake the lust and love in her eyes for the anger she was _trying_ to project, Cuddy saw something flick through House's eyes.

"You let him believe we were …" he started, his tone calm and normal, but a touch of emotion hidden behind it.

Cuddy cursed. This was going somewhere. _Everybody_ knew this was going somewhere; and not just this in general, but '_this_' in the immediate, right then, right there sense of the word. And baby had chose that moment to aim a particularly precise kick at her bladder. She tried to control it. She tired to think of anything and everything else. But when you're staring at a man whose eyes remind you of the ocean, of rivers and streams and puddles and pools and brooks and just areas of flowing water in general, there is very little you can do to think of anything else but the overwhelming need to run to the bathroom.

"House …" she said wishing the Baby would just shift his or her kicks a little to the left. Just a little. It wasn't asking much. But no, this baby was intent on getting her away from its father. Odd really. "I really need to, uh …" she looked at the bathroom door then back at his eyes.

"Parasite sitting somewhere uncomfortable?" he asked. It sounded wrong even to him, he didn't believe it was a parasite. Not anymore. But he wasn't about to let Cuddy know that. Because the moment she realised how much he really cared. The moment she realised that he hadn't come running just because a friend had been in trouble, just because he didn't want _her_ to suffer losing the baby, he'd be gone, she'd have him in the palm of her hand. And House wasn't sure he was ready to be in someone else's hand just yet.

Cuddy just nodded as baby Cuddy-House kicked her again.

_I'm going already!_ She mentally yelled.

Much to her surprise, she felt House's grip loosen on her hand and felt his fingers brush all the way against hers until they lost contact.

Now that the contact was gone, she managed to collect her thoughts again. She managed to will her legs to move and soon found herself in the bathroom.

Still sitting on her bed, House sighed in his mind. That baby really knew when to do what. Stop kicking when daddy needed an excuse to be with mommy, start kicking when daddy needed to slow the hell down before he falls into the unknown without having thought it all through.

He smiled. He wanted to just jump off that tower into whatever the dark abyss he was looking at below was. He really, really did. But he'd made a promise to himself, he wasn't going to fall irrevocably in love with her, not any more than he already had. He was going to keep his options clear, leave himself the option of retreating, because he knew that in about three months, he'd have to do so.

But why not fall? Why not jump of that tower? Sure, it wouldn't be a free fall. But he'd always felt bungee jumping would be fun. And that's not irrevocable. Bungee jumping, unlike free falls, doesn't end in broken bones and irreversible damage, bungee jumping was a good option. A safe way for Greg to get a taste of what he needed, knowing that, should the pull of gravity become too much, he'd have House standing at the top of the tower, ready to pull him back up and call him an idiot for trying. Yep, he smiled, safe.

**TBC**

_

* * *

_

Also, one more thing. I'm think about names for this Huddy baby … and I just can't come to a conclusion … so I thought I'd post the names here and you guys could give me your opinions? Thanks

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**Names I chose from 'Cuddy's POV' … mainly Jewish names:**

Nora, Isabella, Daniela, Lily, Samantha

Benjamin, Daniel, Noah, Joel, Jonah

.

**Names I chose from 'House's POV' …**

Rebecca, Zoe, Sophie, Sarah (or Sara), Natalie,

Michael, Zachary, Samuel, James, Sean

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**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	22. Chapter 22

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hai! So here's another chapter … I hope you like it … I was feeling a little blocked at the beginning … but I think it sorted itself out in the end. And if you think, by the end, that that's it, that I've taken the whole jump and ruined the whole thing, not to worry, my fics rarely get this happy this quickly :P … and if they do, well … lets just say it won't be how they stay._

_Also, thank you all SOOOO much for your lovely reviews and all the help with the names! I have already sorted through them and come up with the four best (2 for girl and 2 for boy) … however, being the evil, EVIL, woman that I am … I won't tell you what they are … yet *insert evil laugh here* … :P_

_Oh, and I'm not sure if you remember my complaining about a Chem teacher a few weeks ago? Well, guess what, a couple of days ago, I find out she's a House fan … now I'm just feeling confused! *cowers into a corner and rocks back and forth*_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"I love you, I really do" whispered Cuddy looking down at her stomach as she washed her hands "but you really need to get a better sense of timing!"

* * *

Lying back in Cuddy's bed, House pondered some more. What exactly did this bungee jumping metaphor entail? What was he going to allow himself to do, and what wasn't he? Because now, it wasn't even about what he, House, could handle, it was also about Cuddy. He figured that if she responded to his attentions, then that meant she had to like him, even if only a little bit. And if she did like him, then he couldn't step too far off that metaphorical tower. He needed to be able to retreat, for his kid. And for that, he had to make sure that Cuddy would be willing to let him go, and not just willing either, she'd have to be able to do so. He only knew how hard it'd be for him when the time came, he could only imagine what it must feel like to a hormonal new mom with a baby.

'_Damn_' he thought. When you put it like that, he really sounded like an ass, leaving Cuddy, alone, to raise _their_ kid?

But House never cared what anyone else thought, or how anything sounded to anyone else. Because that little part of him that actually cared, was telling him that leaving was the best choice. And he was going to follow thorough with it.

In the mean time, he'd just go with it. Wherever she wanted to take it, he'd go. It kinda scared him, to put himself so completely and helplessly in her hands, but it was also really thrilling.

And with that thought in mind, he grabbed her pillow again and quickly arranged it behind his back. Placing his hands behind his head, House smiled again, something he'd been doing a lot of recently, and shifted slightly until he found the perfect position on the pillows.

"Sorry about that" said Cuddy stepping out of the bathroom wiping her hands on her trousers.

'_Sorry about that_'? she thought. Well, yea, what else did you say to a guy you were having an intimate moment with before you had to make a run for the bathroom?

House just turned his face to her slightly and grinned a little, obviously finding the words just as odd as she had.

"So …" she said awkwardly again sitting down next to him and looking at the TV where the forgotten movie was still playing.

Again, House just looked at her, this time turning his head a little more so that he could actually see her face. It took a few seconds of his stare for her to catch on. Not because it was a difficult thing to catch on to, but because her mind had been to clouded to realise that she was leaning against hard wood rather than soft pillow.

"House …" she spoke warningly "… come on …"

House just looked innocently at her "what?" and turned back to the TV screen

Sighing as she frowned and tried to figure how to get around this, preferably without making it awkward, again, Cuddy stared at the side of his head.

What was he playing at? Why was he doing this, again? Had he not been uncomfortable the first time round? And that brought her back to that eternal question, what was he doing there? Why was he acting like, well, like the college kid she'd known some 20 odd years ago?

"House …" she tried again, pulling a little on the pillow.

House limited his response to grinning even more and settling further into the pillows.

Nodding in a decided fashion, Cuddy figured if there was one way to beat Greg House at a game, it was to just not play it. So, standing up slowly, a hand on her stomach, she limped towards the living room.

* * *

It took a few seconds, maybe even a minute, but, as she'd predicted or, rather hoped, House had figured he'd lost and was now leaning on the arch way that led to her living room, his cane in one hand, his stare fixed on the back of her head as she opened her book and prepared to read it.

"That's not fair" he said still staring at her.

"What isn't?" she asked keeping her eyes on the book, two could play this game.

"Oh, come on!" he said limping further into the room "you never give up!"

"Maybe I'm just tired …" she sighed turning the page, fully conscious that she hadn't read a single word.

"Of …" House started but realised the answer before she even said it.

"Games" As she heard him limp around the couch and stop in front of where she was sitting, Cuddy had to struggle to hide the smile on her face, '_Well played_'.

"Who's playing games?" he asked, his tone suddenly more serious. One step closer to the edge of that tower.

At that, Cuddy had to look up, closing her book a little in her hand and looking at him incredulously.

She never said it, but the look she gave him clearly read '_seriously? Are you _seriously_ asking me that?'._

"What?" he asked innocently

"I …" she didn't even know what to say. She knew what she _wanted_ to say, she wanted to yell at him for showing up there, though, granted, _she_ had called_ him_, and for playing all these games and confusing her this much. But she didn't know if that was what she should say anymore. Because, just then, the thought donned on her, maybe he wasn't playing games, maybe in his own, twisted way, this was House's way of being, well, nice. Maybe he was trying to let her know what Wilson had alluded to but she had refused to believe.

Completely lost for words, Cuddy just shook her head and sighed, looking away from him.

House, of course, being, well, House, took this for her being angry at him, in some way. And suddenly, fearing that edge that he had so cautiously stepping towards, he halted. Then he felt himself retreat altogether.

"Fine" he said in a low voice, almost a whisper.

All Cuddy saw was his feet disappearing from view. Then she heard the sound of his cane and sneakers on the wooden floor of the entrance. The entrance where her front door just so happened to be.

"Where are you going?" she asked surprisingly fast as she turned around in her seat and looked at him, standing with his back to her, his hand on the door knob.

"Home" he said matter of fact-ly. Anyone else would have mistaken his tone for rude, dry, even hurtful. But Cuddy recognised it as what it really was, a protection, a disguise he was putting on to hide some sort of emotion from her.

"Why?" she asked standing slowly, promising herself that's she'd start abiding by her bed rest as soon as she figured this out, and moving towards the arch way that linked the room House was in and the living room.

"You're tired" he said again in the same tone, still facing the door.

"Uh …" she started unsure of what to say. If she said nothing, he'd go, and that was the last thing she wanted. But he she said anything meaningful, he might run away, and she'd end up alone just the same. But hey, sometimes you just have to do it, right? "… you don't have to go"

"Why would I stay?" he asked. This was good, he thought, he was putting it in her hands. He had said that he'd go as far as she wanted to go, he'd follow her wherever she went, well this was the way to go.

"I …" she took a cautious step forwards, doing her best to keep as much pressure as possible off her foot.

Now she could see the side of House's face, he had turned his head a little and was now looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't want to be alone" _'Oh for God's sake, woman! Stop avoiding'_ she mentally yelled at herself.

"Call Wilson" he replied looking back at the door, his hand still resting on the knob with no intention of turning it.

"I …" _just say it!_ "I don't want, uh, Wilson" she said uncertainly, her breath catching in her breath as she waited for a response.

As House felt a smile creep on his lips, he let his head hang a little and rested his forehead against the door. Not knowing that this was a sign of happiness rather than sadness, Cuddy took another step forwards, and put her hand on his back "House?"

Slowly, uncertainly, House turned to look at her. And she finally let that breath she'd been holding escape. The look in his eyes was remarkably clear. It was, she was sure, relief. Maybe there was even a touch of happiness hiding in there, but she wasn't going to push it.

"You know, he can actually cook" he said with a grin as he turned to face her completely, a grin on his face again.

"So can I" she replied with a shrug and one of her girlish smiles.

"True …" said House, stupidly going back into his evasive persona "… and I doubt he can hook up a TV in …"

"House …" she half whispered as she looked into his eyes.

And he nodded a little. She was right. He had to stop avoiding it. He had three months, he couldn't waste them dancing around the subject.

So with a smile and a couple of questioning, raised eyebrows, he lifted his hand to her chin and tilted her face towards his. She replied with a small smile as his hand moved to cup the side of her face and she lifted hers to cover it.

In a matter of seconds which, to them, seemed like eternity, they were moving closer. At first at a steady rate, then with a little hesitation as they took one more look into the other's eyes to make sure that that was really happening, that it was really what the other wanted.

What they saw in each other's eyes must have been a resounding yes, because not half a second later, their lips were brushing. Barely. Lightly. Torturously so. He was controlling her movements with his hand, touching her only lightly, never letting the contact last for more than a second.

It was torturous, she wanted to kiss him, properly, show him that she really wanted _him_ there. But he obviously wanted to do things his way, and she wasn't about to argue.

After a few more seconds, she felt him pull back a little and felt him look at her until she opened her eyes. The look she found in his, took her breath away. The total and complete vulnerability reflected in the turquoise blue, it was killing her. She wanted nothing more than to show him that he needn't worry, that she wouldn't abuse his vulnerability, she wouldn't hurt him. But he was starting his path again, slowly bending forwards, and as his lips touched hers with a bit more strength, she lost all coherent thought.

They stood there for a while, slowly, gently kissing. Nothing more than what tow young teens would dare do. Both controlling the raging passion within, too scared of the effects it might have on the other. But sometimes, something's just gotta give. And in this case, that something was Lisa Cuddy.

As House finally moved the hand that had been caressing the side of her cheek down her arm and around her waist, Cuddy used the hand that had been resting on his chest to pull him, by the jacket, closer. And closer. And he responded. A little pressure on her back, then a little on her neck. And the two shy kids turned into two not-so-shy 17 year olds. One tender, gentle, short kiss, linked onto another, and long, passionate. The slow, gentle touches that one could barely register, became firm. Closed mouths opened. Hidden passions and imprisoned longings escaped between the two.

As the seconds and minutes passed, House realised that sometimes, making oneself a little vulnerable could be good, it could be really good. And Cuddy realised that she was safe, that she wasn't alone. And it didn't make her fell less independent, it made her fell safe, comforted. They were, in every way, there for each other, and they both feared the events to come that would, almost certainly, tare this all apart.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	23. Chapter 23

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hallo … so, firstly, sorry for the huge wait! (and, I do know that it was less than a week, but if I were you, I'd consider that huge and be angry at the writer for not getting to work sooner …) Secondly, thank you all SOOOOO much for your incredible, fantastic, spectacular, amazing, fabulous, and brilliant reviews (and yes, I did run out of adjectives right there … bare in mind that it is 1 am and it's amazing that I got those 6 out at all). I really do apreceate all you guys reading this and telling me what you think. I'm sure you all know (those of you who write), how much more you feel like writing when you know someone's reading … :D so yea, thanks!_

_Also, I know this chappie's a little shorter … but it is pretty huddyliscious (If I do say so myself :p) … ok, so maybe there may be a little 'negative' note in there … but I think you all know me well enough already to know that it had to come at some point … and that this isn't even all that bad … (Muahahaha) …_

_So yea, please keep telling me what you think, and I'd also like to know what you guys think/would like to see happen. I have a pretty fixed idea of where I'm going … but one major decision in the story has already been altered due to a couple of reviews (and no, I won't tell you what that decision was … yet) so who knows, your opinion could matter :P_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"Greg …" she whispered in between kisses. It felt so good to use his name.

"Hm?" he hummed in reply as he captured her mouth again and again. He had not planned for this to last that long, he hadn't even _planned_ to kiss her in the first place, but when he'd felt her hand on his back, when she'd told him that he was the one she wanted there, there was little else he could do.

Standing by her door with her in his arms, House had to wonder how he'd lived so long without that. Without feeling her perfect body against his, fitting perfectly, even with a pregnant belly. It was really remarkable.

"Greg … uh" she started again as he decided to put her mouth to better use. He loved her, he really did, but if she kept talking, he'd have to get angry.

Cuddy wasn't sure what she wanted to say. Did she want to ask him what was going on? That'd be pretty stupid. Did she want to tell him that her feet were killing her and that moving 'this' somewhere else would be a good idea? Yea, she probably did. But it didn't seem like she needed to. Because just as he moved his kisses to her neck, he began his slow limp forwards and she backed up with him. If it weren't for the incredible amount of romance surrounding it, the image would probably be extremely funny: diagnostician limps forwards, moves head to one side to get better access, administrator limps backwards, pulls him along with her which causes him to limp, _again_, and the hilarious, odd dance continues until they reach Cuddy's room.

When Cuddy felt the back of her legs hit the mattress, though, she opened her eyes. She was now lying on her back, and House had just settled beside her, one hand wrapped around her growing abdomen, pulling her to him. 'This' couldn't happen. Not because she didn't want it to, oh she _did_ want it to. But because she was 6 months pregnant, it was a risky pregnancy, she had no idea what House was doing, or what any of this meant. She wasn't about to let him take this any further, not again, not after the consequences of the last time. But it felt so good in his arms. The trail of kisses that he left along her neck as he reached her jaw and kissed his way back to her lips was absolutely mind bogglingly fantastic.

"House?" she asked quietly as he began his path back down her jaw line "House … w …"

But House merely looked up at her with a small smile. Not that one-sided grin that made her go insane, no little glint of mischief in his eyes, just a smile, just the simple kind that could melt _any_ woman's heart.

And then House did something she hadn't expected. Every single time, since their college days, that Cuddy had had this man's lips on hers, she'd known what to expect. There had always been some attempt at something more, some had slipping where it shouldn't, some comment that wouldn't be accepted in public. But this, this smiling, caring man who was now pulling her further onto the bed so that they were both leaning/lying against the head board, this she hadn't expected, this was different.

As the kissing slowed from its earlier frenzy, to separate small pecks and they opened their eyes and looked at each other, House pulled Cuddy closer to his chest and kissed the top of her head. For another long while, neither of them spoke.

"Greg?" spoke Cuddy again, not liking the silence anymore "…uh … thanks for staying"

House made no sound in return, and, from her position on his chest, Cuddy couldn't see his face. But she felt the light pressure of his chin on her head, and knew he was grinning.

Minutes later she was asleep. Outside, the sky was dark, covered with clouds, heavy with rain. But neither of them cared, if anything, the bad weather was welcome. It gave House an extra reason to stay, after all, it wouldn't be a very smart move for him to riding his bike in the rain.

* * *

It was only two hours later that Cuddy awoke again. The sight that met her eyes as she inclined her head a little backwards to look at the face of the man on whom she was sleeping, was absolutely breathtaking. House was asleep, his head tilted, at an angle, against the head board, his mouth slightly opened and, every now and then, a little sound, maybe snoring, escaped his lips. Cuddy had to smile, this was probably as vulnerable as she'd ever get to see him. And she definitely liked what she saw.

As she shifted a little, trying not to wake him, Cuddy felt something hard in his pocket. At first, she thought it'd be his Vicodin bottle, and so, snaking her hand between them, she tried to shift it to another side of the pocket so that it wasn't sticking into her side. But as she touched the small, hard object, she realised that it wasn't a Vicodin bottle, it was actually something rectangular. Long and thin. Pulling it out of House's pocket, Cuddy found herself staring at the man's iPod. She knew House loved music, almost as much as he loved solving puzzles and being right. And she had also learnt, during the twenty odd years that she'd known him, that the music he listened to at a particular moment was very telling about his mood.

So turning another little bit so that she could place an ear bud into the ear that was lying closest to House, Cuddy turned the player on.

This particular iPod, one of three that House owned, had been a birthday present from Wilson; one of the few that House had actually unwrapped and kept. It was a good replacement for his old, severely scratched Shuffle, and it made it much easier to find songs.

Selecting the 'recently listened to' playlist, Cuddy scanned through the titles, and found herself extremely surprised at some of them.

"Baba O'Reiley" – The Who

"Anybody Seen my Baby" – Rolling Stones

"Sympathy for the Devil" – Rolling Stones

"Desecration Smile" – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

"A Banda" – Chico Buarque

"If tomorrow never comes" – Ronan Keating

"And so it goes" – Billy Joel

"Running up that Hill" – Placebo

"Shook me all night long" – ACDC

"Hotel California" – The Eagles

"Mad World" – Gary Jules

"Suicide is Painless" – Johnny Mandel

"Wires" – Athlete

"Can't always get what you want" – Rolling Stones

"Passing Afternoon" – Iron & Wine

"Other side" – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

The Rolling Stones, Cuddy had expected, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, she got, ACDC, made sense too. The Eagles weren't his usual type, but the particular version of 'Hotel California' featured Eric Clapton's guitar playing, so it kinda made sense. Billy Joel was a piano master, House had to like him, The Who was a must in House's iPod, Chico Buarque was understandable seeing as House spoke some Portuguese … but the others? Ronan Keating, Placebo, Gary Jules, Johnny Mandel, Iron & Wine and Athlete? Those were unexpected. Particularly because of the songs that were listed from them. All of them slow, somewhat angst-y songs. All of them portraying House's character, the one that he, apparently, knew he had but never admitted to. The wounded, lost man who had been too hurt in the past to love in the future.

Cuddy smiled. This felt like a little victory for her. She had expected House's iPod to be an interesting source of information, but this told her way more than she'd expected. This told her that he had been thinking about his screwed up lack-of-relationships status. That he had been, in some way, perhaps, trying to evaluate himself, listening to songs that reflected what everyone else saw in him.

But that one song. The one that wasn't so much a reflection of House's character as of … well, of what Cuddy _hoped_ he was thinking and feeling. "If tomorrow never comes". Just the title scared her. If tomorrow never came, _would_ he know how much she loved him? Would he ever doubt the way she felt about him?

It was with these thoughts, and a hand gliding over her stomach, that Cuddy selected that song out of all the others and, looking up at the man still asleep beneath her, closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

In a brief moment of consciousness, House heard the words drifting from the lose ear-piece hanging between him and Cuddy. He _had_ lost love once in his life. First against his will, the second time because of his own, stupid desire to be alone; to be miserable. He didn't want to do that again. He wanted to avoid that circumstance, the one he'd been in the first time Stacy had left, where he had no second chance, where he had been in so much pain and so angry at the world, that he just hadn't been able to tell her how he felt. But then his earlier thoughts invaded his mind. He _did_ want to tell Cuddy how he felt, that is, if she hadn't figured it out yet – the woman _was_ smart. But he couldn't. He'd made a decision. And if nothing else, if he never did any other honourable thing in his life, he was going to live up to his decision, to the promise he'd made himself. He wasn't going to put himself in a position where he, she or both, would end up hurt. When that baby that he was growing to love so much was born, he'd bow out gracefully. It was the best. It really was …

**TBC**

* * *

… muahahahahaha

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Mkay so ... again, it feels like a long time since I wrote anything … though, when I think about it, it really wasn't … So, this chapter is, well, part Huddy, part filler. I needed to make something happed (you'll know what by the end) … because really, how realistic is it that Wilson would be able to do it all by himself? … gotta keep a minimum level of realism here :P_

_I hope you like it anyway … I'm REALLY sleepy and so am going to re-read this a couple of times before posting … but I make little promises about coherence :P_

_Luckily, I have no school tomorrow (yay!) so I may be able to get some more work done … maybe_

_Also, we're closing in on those 400 reviews :D :D So, to celebrate the landmark (bare in mind that my record before 'Foetus' was a mere 120 reviews …) I'd like to thank you all SOOOOOOOOOOOO much for all your reviews and to ask you if you could tell me what country you're from. I was checking the 'story traffic' thingy, and saw that there were people there from all over the world … now I'd like to know whose who … if you guys are ok with that … thanks :D_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

Waking up an hour later, House looked down at the sleeping beauty in his arms. He would really have liked to stay there and marvel at the fact that this was real, that he was _actually_ smelling the warm scent of her conditioner, that she was really lying on him, fast asleep. But even though he didn't have a small child growing inside him, he was still human, and like any other semi-normal human, he _really _needed to use the bathroom.

So very slowly, he managed to move from underneath Cuddy, replacing his body, where he could, with pillows so that she wouldn't be in a too awkward position, and limped to the bathroom.

* * *

Looking at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands, House reflected on who that guy was. He saw the dishevelled look and his permanent frown. His eyes were ice cold.

And he suddenly remembered a time when he'd done this before. When, under different circumstances, he had looked at himself in a mirror and seen different features. He'd been a boy, 20 or so. He'd just woken up in the arms of a gorgeous undergrad who he'd been chasing for months and was feeling at the top of his game. And not just because he had slept with one of the most desirable women he'd ever met either, there was something else. Something he'd never quite understood. But it was there. And the man he was today knew, deep down, that whatever it was that had made his 20 year old self like what he saw in the mirror, was still present today.

As he thought of what that 'something' was, House started to see himself differently, he started to see himself like Wilson had always done. Not as a miserable curmudgeon, but as a man who needed to, and, just maybe, was starting to be, fixed; even if only a little bit.

* * *

As he re-entered the bedroom from the bathroom. House noted that Cuddy was still fast asleep, her hand resting on the pillows as it had on his chest. And he felt something akin to a smile grow on his face. It was an interesting feeling, this being happy thing. He could see why people liked it. Although, he added in his thoughts, if you don't know what you're missing, you'll never miss it, and, right then, he was sure he'd miss seeing Cuddy like this, waking up with her in his arms, being perfectly comfortable around her. He really would.

Not wanting to disturb her, House slowly leaned over her and removed the iPod that was resting at her side and the ear piece that was so close to falling out of her ear and, with one last look at her, limped his way out of the room and into the living room.

* * *

As she felt his presence leave the room, and the music leave her mind, Cuddy drifted back into reality. Looking around, she noted how the muscular chest she'd fallen asleep on was missing, and sighed.

Sitting up a little groggily, she prepared herself for whatever unexpected events were to come. In the past few days, she'd learnt to expect anything and everything, and the tingling in her stomach as she stood to find House, told her that she was actually looking forwards to whatever was in store.

* * *

Sitting on the couch, House felt his leg again, something that hadn't happened in a while. Sighing as he finished 'plugging' himself in, he reached into his pocket and grabbed a couple of Vicodin. Those two extremely familiar pills now looked like something undesirable. He knew Cuddy hated his habit, he knew it didn't make him any better; it just made him function better. It made him better at his job, but worse at being a human being, and for the last few days, he'd opted for being a human being rather than a doctor. Strangely enough, he noted, he didn't mind the change.

But the pain was still there, present as ever. Though happiness could numb it, it wasn't unhappiness that caused it. That pain was real, he really was missing a large portion of his thigh muscle, and it really did hurt beyond words. So, sighing and looking up to the ceiling as he tilted his head, House dry-swallowed the two pills and, after a few seconds of staring at that non-existent spot on the ceiling, he looked back down at his iPod.

Those little machines really were remarkable. House loved his previous iPods and he was very fond of his Gameboy, but having them all in one was just too good. Not only could he listen to music anywhere he wanted, he could play games and surf the internet (having found out how to break into the Hospital's wireless connection).

At the moment, his game of choice was solitaire. He wasn't sure why, but that game had always held a particular interest to him.

Cuddy, who had been standing by the doorway to the living room since he'd popped his pills, knew exactly why he loved the game so much. She'd caught him playing it on the computer at work several times and now, walking over to him and looking over his shoulder, she had to smile. It was such a fitting game. Designed to be played alone, it was a puzzle which could just as easily have a solution as not. It didn't lie, it didn't cheat, it was just a set of cards, placed in a random order, and a possible solution at the end of it all. It screamed 'House'.

Suddenly, a reflection caught on his screen and House looked over his shoulder to see Cuddy standing there, in all her pregnant glory, smiling down at him.

"Did I wake you?" he asked surprising Cuddy and himself by the fact that he actually really did care.

"No" she shook her head as she moved around the couch and sat down next to him "but you stole my pillow and music …" she smiled.

"Yea … _my_ music" he said waving his iPod "… and" he looked down at himself and frowned "_my _pillow" he grinned as she smiled again.

There was a short moment in which they just looked at each other before Cuddy spoke "Queen of hearts to King of spades"

"What?" asked House momentarily confused.

"The game … Queen of …"

"Oh" he said looking down and moving the suggested card "thanks"

"Solitaire?" she asked, knowing the question sounded more like 'feeling lonely?' than anything else.

House shrugged, he understood the double meaning and gave her an answer that suited both questions "you were asleep"

She merely nodded and studied the little screen again. Following where her eyes had gone, House too looked at the game, and moved a Jack of clubs with a ten of hearts on it onto the previously moved Queen of hears.

"Oh, hadn't seen that one" said Cuddy smiling and scooting a little closer.

For the next five minutes, the two merely sat there, every now and then suggesting a move, using the combined power of their high IQs to try and beat House's insane high score. They might have succeeded too, you know, had they not spent half the time stealing glances at each other and wondering whether to mention what had happened before or not.

* * *

It had been about three hours since he'd last spoken to House, and Wilson was being driven insane by the case he'd taken upon himself to solve.

Sure, it was Lupus. But the guy was still declining, even after he'd been given all the proper medication and medical care. There had to be some piece of the puzzle missing, something he'd ignored, something so absurd and minute that only House would have picked up on.

Sitting back in his chair, Wilson looked through the door to his balcony into House's empty office and pulled out his cell phone.

He dialled the number and was about to press the call button when he stopped. He'd taken this case for a reason, he wanted his friends to work things out, he wanted that kid to have both his spectacular mother and amazing father. And he wanted him or her to have them both as mommy and daddy, not as mommy and uncle-who-drools-over-mommy-but-is-too-chicken-to-do-anything.

So, erasing the number and placing the phone back on his desk, Wilson sighed. He had a whole new admiration for House and what he did. Sure, he only saw, what, one patient a week? Sometimes one patient a month. But Wilson now knew it wasn't as easy as throwing a ball against a wall and playing with white board markers (and yes, he had tried all those tactics). House's work was something only he could do. Well, it was something only he could do as well as he did.

Just as he finished that thought and resigned himself to the fact that he would, sooner or later, have to call House, Cameron burst through his door, already half way through some complaint.

She was quickly followed by Foreman and Thirteen, all of them having found nothing in all the exams they'd done. Once their complaints were made, and Wilson had exhausted all possible ideas, Cameron became the voice of reason.

"We need House" she said quite simply.

Wilson nodded. It was true.

"I'll call him" said Thirteen reaching for her cell phone from her pocket.

"Eh, no" said Wilson thinking "It's ok, I'll take the scans to him. He's not at work for a reason, he can just take a look at them and …"

"He needs to see the patient" said Cameron and everyone looked at her like she'd never met House.

"If we can't get House to check on patients when he's sitting in his office, do you _really_ think we're going to get him here when he's sitting all comfy at home downing scotches, playing piano and playing sick?" asked Foreman, shaking his head at Cameron's, what he would call, naïveté.

Wilson merely nodded, not about to take the time to explain that House wasn't at home, he wasn't downing whiskies, he wasn't playing piano, and he wasn't playing sick.

"I'll call you if he finds anything" he said and, with that, he grabbed his coat and left the room.

He hated having to go there and break whatever it was that seemed, from his phone call, to be going on, but the patient needed House. He was a doctor, he needed to do what was best for the patient and, right then, what was best for the patient was for Dr. Gregory House to express his opinions about his medical conditions.

So Wilson would go to him.

At least this way, Wilson figured, there wasn't as big a chance of House leaving Cuddy's side. Wilson would go there, he'd get House's opinion, and he'd get back to the hospital before House could get any ideas that didn't fit with the oncologist's over all plan.

**TBC**

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	25. Chapter 25

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hai! So … chapter number 25 :D … I want to reassure you all that, although the wait is getting longer (sorry about that), I already have the whole story decided upon in my mind, and fully intend to post every last chapter … plus a possible epilogue … _

_Also, I know this is a slightly shorter chapter than usual … but as soon as I post it, I'm going off to write the next one, so it shouldn't take me too long. Also, I'm going to be having mock exams in 2 weeks and in about 3 months, I'll be starting my actual IB exams, now, those of you who know the IB will need no explanation, but just in case, the amount of homework and studying I have to do are seriously cutting into my writing time. : ( But I fully intend to fight the power and keep posting at least 2 chappies a week … so stress not my friends :P_

_Also, thank you all sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for your support and kind reviews, I really, really appreciate them! :D (*Hugs all around*)_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

Staring at the screen which, for the past three minutes, hadn't changed, Cuddy sighed and looked at House. There he was, a frown on his face, his blue eyes fixed on the tiny screen. He had a puzzle, it was right there in front of him and, while he knew that it was perfectly possible for the puzzle not to have a solution, he wasn't about to give up.

"House?" started Cuddy but he just held his hand up and, with the other moved the selection on the screen, removing cards that had already been placed on the aces back into the game. "What are you doing?" she tried again and, again, got no answer.

For the next few minutes, she just sat there, starting in awe as House essentially reset the game and won it. It was amazing, and yet, a little sad. Cuddy couldn't help but note that, while together they'd done well with the game, it was alone that he won it. It was just the way of things. House could, if he wanted, be a team player, but he did things better by himself, and a relationship, that which she craved above all else, was not something you could have on your own.

"See?" he asked looking up at her triumphantly, like a child who'd just proved an adult wrong "… It wasn't 'over'"

"Apparently not" she smiled at him as he switched from the game screen to the music screen and pressed shuffle.

When she saw the small smile on his face, Cuddy picked up the spare ear piece and joined him in listening.

As she heard the talking stop and the lyrics start, Cuddy looked at him with a shocked/mocking/amused face. Blood House Gang's "Discovery Channel" was, when she thought about it, something she expected House to listen to, but still, it hadn't been what she was expecting at that particular moment.

"What?" he asked with an innocent look as the singer started another round of 'you and me baby, ain't nothing but mammals, so lets do it like they do on the discovery channel'. When she simply continued to stare, House shrugged and pressed the 'next' button. Apparently songs that spoke of sex and, _only_, sex were not something that appealed to pregnant women; fine.

Cuddy barely had time to register what the next song was before House changed it. And she smiled. "Far Away" by Nickelback, was something Cuddy hadn't expected House to have on his iPod. And on top of the surprise of the find, there was the speed at which he had changed the song. He hadn't wanted her to hear it. And as the lyrics filled her mind, she smiled a little and looked down. It was starting to seem _really_ possible that Wilson had been right.

_This time, this place,_

_Misused, mistakes,_

_Too long, too late,_

_Who was I to make you wait?_

_Just one chance, just one breath,_

_Just in case there's just one left._

…

_I love you, _

_I have loved you all along,_

_I miss you,_

_Been far away for far too long._

…

_I'd give it all, I'd give for us,_

_Give anything but I won't give up._

…

'_Coz I need it,_

_I need to hear you say,_

_I love you,_

_I have loved you all along,_

_And I forgive you,_

_For being away fro far too long._

…

_So keep breathing,_

_Coz I'm not leaving you anymore._

Finally, House settled for a song. "Dirty Little Secret" by The All American Rejects. It was a good song, it was House-like, so there was no reason for anyone to read anything into it. And yet House was. His love for her was his 'dirty little secret', the baby she was carrying was his 'little secret', and everything he wanted to tell her and show here were being kept 'secret' by all the stubbornness that he was made of.

As House thought this, he looked over at Cuddy to find her deep in thought, a slight smile playing on her face. Scared that she was thinking the same as him about that song, he quickly changed it. And kept changing the songs, either because he was bored of them, because they were too deep, because Cuddy didn't like them or, simply, because changing the song gave him an excuse to look at her under the pretext of evaluating whether or not she was enjoying it.

When Cuddy let out a little laugh at the past three songs, House looked at her questioningly "what?"

"Well, it's just, you have a very, uh, _varied_ taste in music, I hadn't expected" she smiled a little

"What did you expect?" he asked intrigued.

"Well, the Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, Eric Clapton … but not, uh, this" she replied.

"Those are all here … but I don't limit myself to oldies" he explained taking the ear piece out of his ear and slowly standing.

"Where are you going?" she asked making to stand up herself, but being told not to by House's hand.

"Well, if you can make comments about my song selections, then I guess I can too"

And with that, House limped over to Cuddy's CD player and got ready to press play.

"House, come on" she said, _really_ not wanting him to hear the songs she had burnt into that particular CD.

"What? Scared this stuff will embarrass you?" he asked turning around with one of his gorgeous, mischievous grins.

"Well, no, but …"

Just then, the door bell rang and Cuddy felt the phrase 'saved by the bell' had never been more accurate.

For a few seconds, they stayed there, staring at each other. Each hoping the other would answer the door so they could remove the CD from the player and keep it safe from the other.

"You're not really going to make me answer the door, are you?" she asked him looking down at her stomach, an almost puppy-dog look on her face.

"Oh, yea, play the pregnant card" he said waving his cane around as if to say 'Hi, cripple here'. To that, Cuddy merely replied with holding up her bandaged foot.

Thinking for a bit, House added "If I answer the door, people are going to ask questions. Wilson already thinks we're …"

Cuddy's look remained the same and House didn't even bother to finish the sentence, better to make a move now.

"Fine" he said resigned leaning heavily on his cane, placing his free hand to his chin as if to think as the bell rang again, "but this goes with me" he added reaching into the CD player and taking out the CD.

Watching as House limped out of her living room, the CD reflecting light from its position in his hand, Cuddy sighed, this was going to be interesting …

**TBC**

* * *

_I thought that was a good point to leave the chapter at … don't you? *smiles innocently*_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	26. Chapter 26

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!_

_**A/N: **__Hello! First off, I must say the long wait wasn't really my fault seeing as I haven't been able to acces my Fanfic account for three days ... but I am for making you wait, really, I am. But see, on top of website malfunctions, I've got my mock exams coming up and so most of my time is taken up with studying. This week, I'm on 'holidays', and, although I'll be studying most of the time, I fully intend to write. So there should be more up relatively soon. _

_Also, and once again, thank you all for your reviews, you really keep me happy :D_

_I think this should have at least some 9/10 more chapters to it, and, after you read this, you'll know why I _REALLY_ want to write the next one :P_

_Please keep those amazing reviews coming and, also, I really love reading what you guys think is going to happen. It's actually really fun for me because, half the time I'm like "ha ha, you're right, but I'm not going to tell you that" and the other half of the time, I'm like "you're sooo wrong … but I'm also not going to tell you that until the very end" :P … basically, I find it extremely funny :D (and I need funny things in my life, right now) :P_

_Oh, and I don't own any of the songs mentioned either … really, I don't!_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

It was Wilson. Standing on Cuddy's porch; standing as far away from the pouring rain as he could.

"Hi" said House in a not-so-enthusiastic tone when he saw his best friend standing there, about to intrude on the time he was spending with the woman he loved.

"Can I come in?" asked Wilson looking over House's shoulder to try and spot Cuddy.

"Oh, sure" then, with a grin, House added "Cuddy's just showering ... you know, after …"

But before House could finish his insinuation, Cuddy appeared, fully dressed in the doorway to the entrance and smiled at Wilson.

"Hi, James" she greeted him waiting for him to explain his presence.

"Hi" he replied before turning to House "So, we have a problem …" he spoke as he pulled the patient's file from his brief case.

"What's that?" asked Cuddy

"Patient file …" said House in a tone that sounded more like a question.

"And why is Wilson bringing an oncology file to you?" she asked, this time looking at Wilson

Wilson merely looked at House, wondering what exactly to say. Tell the truth, that he'd taken over the case to let House stay at Cuddy's, and House would, quite possibly hurt him … come up with another plausible idea? Well, that wasn't seeming very possible either.

"Well, uh, House's team had a few questions and I guess I just …"

"Why didn't they ask House?" asked Cuddy, now looking at House with a triumphant look.

"They … uh … couldn't get hold of him?" tried Wilson looking up at his friend.

"Really?" asked Cuddy "I was sure that the hospital had issued doctors with pagers, for situations just like this one …"

There was a moment of silence before House spoke "oh, right … batteries"

"Uhuh …" said Cuddy looking from one to the other "I have spare batteries here, if you need them …"

House merely shook his head, "Wilson has it covered"

"Well, he obviously doesn't, otherwise, he wouldn't be here asking you for help …" she said, again looking victorious.

House, quickly, not liking the direction the conversation was taking, changed the subject "yea, about that …" and he turned to Wilson with a look that was both intrigued and annoyed.

"Oh, right" said the oncologist opening the file "Your Lupus patient? He's been on all the possible drugs we can think of and he's still deteriorating. The tests show nothing, and he had a panic attack while we were withdrawing his blood …"

"Is that part medically relevant, or did you just throw it in there for dramatic effect?" asked House taking the chart from Wilson and limping, past Cuddy into the living room.

"Well, I guess not, he did warn us he was scared of all things medical … but it did make it very hard to withdraw the blood, Taub and Foreman had to hold him down"

"That's a great image …" said House sarcastically sitting down on the couch as Cuddy and Wilson joined him "… but again, not relevant"

The three of them spent the next 30 minutes sitting there, throwing all and any ideas around, trying to figure this puzzle out. On several occasions, House found himself staring at Cuddy, loving the fact that the doctor in her was coming out over the administrator.

"What else is there" asked Cuddy leaning back in her arm-chair, visibly tired.

"We've ruled out infection, we know there's an auto-immune component, there's no cancer, no viruses, no toxins …" replied Wilson, he too leaning back and closing his eyes as the ceiling light hit his face.

"We have to be missing something" said House, almost to himself.

From their positions on either side of them, Wilson and Cuddy looked at each other, this was the House they knew, the one who got easily fixated on puzzles and refused to let go.

"House … we need more tests …" started Cuddy but then stopped "Wait … let me see that" she said pointing to the chart House had been staring at for the past minutes, apparently hoping something would osmose into his brain.

"The adrenaline levels are surprising low" she stated flipping a sheet and reading down the next page.

"So?" asked House, who, watching fixated Cuddy, sitting, pregnant in front of him, had more or less switched off for a few seconds.

"Well, Wilson said the guy had a panic attack, his blood should have been full of it …" she explained.

"Ok …" said Wilson leaning forwards, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together "… what does this tell us?"

There was another moment of silence as they thought.

"Could be a tumour" said Cuddy "Says here that the patient donated a kidney to a nephew 13 years ago and that during the operation, there were complications and one of his adrenal glands was damaged …"

Wilson merely nodded as House continued to stare at the amazing woman in front of him.

"… Well, he could have a kidney tumour. It would press on the good adrenal gland and mess with adrenaline secretions, and it could screw with the kidney's filtration system. You pumped him full of drugs, his body couldn't remove them, so he gets sicker instead of better …"

"That's all very good" said House snapping back into 'medical mode' "except we would have seen a tumour that big on the MRI"

"We never got one" said Wilson standing up and looking from Cuddy to House "the patient had another attack when we tried to get him into the MRI machine … he wouldn't stay still …" he explained.

Suddenly, both the endocrinologist and the oncologist looked at the diagnostician who, after staring at the sheets that he had re-taken from Cuddy, merely nodded. They'd solved it.

"Put him on dialysis for the kidney, restart him on the Lupus medication and discharge him" said House closing the file and handing it back to Wilson.

"Shouldn't you do that?" asked Cuddy looking at House, again hating that the administrator in her was trying to push him back to work and away from her "I mean, you are his attending".

"I've got it covered" Wilson said quickly, ensuring that House didn't get a chance to answer "We just have to sedate him, get the MRI, confirm the tumour, operate and he'll be good as new … well, almost"

When House nodded in agreement and joined Wilson in looking at Cuddy, the latter sighed and gave up. She was too tired to argue and, besides, she really _didn't_ want him to go.

"Ok then" said Wilson grabbing his brief case from beside his feet and placing the patient file back in it "I'll call you if we need anything" he added to House, not looking at Cuddy.

House just nodded and watched his friend as he moved towards the door. For a few seconds, Cuddy glared at him waiting for him to walk Wilson out. When House merely mouthed 'your house', Cuddy scowled at him and, grabbing his cane for support, limped after Wilson.

"Thanks for coming" said Cuddy as Wilson opened the door

"I'll drop by again tomorrow, and if you need anything, just ask, 'kay?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you could do some shopping for me" she said leaning heavily on the cane, something Wilson did not fail to notice "the nursery isn't even half done, and there's no way I can do any heavy lifting …"

"Sure" nodded Wilson "I have the day off tomorrow, I'll do it then"

"Thanks" she smiled and, with another nod, Wilson left.

* * *

Back in the living room, House took Cuddy's absence as the perfect chance to set his plan up. Limping cautiously without his cane, he reached the CD player and, ensuring that Cuddy wasn't back yet, hit play, taking the remote in hand, and limping back to his seat.

As he waited for Cuddy to return, the first chords of Martina McBride's "How Far" began to creep out of the speakers and House realised that maybe the reason Cuddy hadn't wanted him to listen to the CD wasn't because it was embarrassing.

As he heard the sound of his cane signalling Cuddy's approach, House lowered the sound of the speakers to almost zero. Granted, he now knew why she didn't want him to listen to the songs. That didn't mean he wasn't going to take the chance to see her face as the content of the CD was revealed to him.

"What are you doing?" asked Cuddy suspiciously as House looked up at her, that infamous mischievous glint in his eye.

"Me?" he asked innocently "nothing"

"House …"

Just then, the sound of the speakers began to rise and Cuddy stopped in her tracks.

"Interesting choice of …"

"Come on!" she said moving for the player, wanting to switch it off before House understood exactly what the songs meant to her.

"What?" he asked turning the sound even louder so that he had to shout over it "you saw mine" he wined.

Watching his face and his deep blue eyes, Cuddy, once again, gave in. She had to hope that this giving in wouldn't stick when she returned to work. If it did, one of them would have to end up fired.

"Fine" she said, she too having to rise her voice above the music "but at least turn it down"

House acquiesced to that. As the music returned to its normal level, and the words became, well, words rather than noises, House and Cuddy's eyes met.

_There you are, giving up the fight,_

_Here I am, begging you to try,_

_Talk to me, let me in,_

_But you just put your wall back up again,_

_Oh when's it gonna end?_

Sighing at the lyrics, Cuddy limped over to the couch and fell into the seat next to House.

For a few more seconds, their eyes stayed fixed on each other, but, just as the song reached it's climax, House's phone went off and, once again, the spell was broken.

Silently cursing the small device, House read Wilson's message.

Will pick you up in the morning.

10:00, please be up.

Shopping for baby.

W.

"Who is it?" asked Cuddy as the song came to an end.

"Wilson"

Cuddy smiled "he's going shopping for the baby tomorrow, you know, stuff for the nursery and …"

"Yea …" said House holding the phone up "he told me, seems he needs help, you know, to carry the big boxes …" he grinned

"You're going with him?" she asked, partly surprised that he'd do that and partly sad that she'd be without him.

"I guess so …" he replied shrugging and leaning back as the words to Kelly Clarkson's "because of you" filled the room.

_I've learnt the hard way, _

_So never let it get that far_

_Because of you, _

_I never stray too far from the side walk,_

_Because of you,_

_I learnt to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt._

"Cuddy?" asked House looking up

"Hm?" hummed Cuddy turning to face him.

"Why are you always trying to get me to go to work?" he asked, not wanting to ask the _actual_ question behind it.

"Well, I'm your boss, and …" he should have seen that response coming.

Seeing no other choice, House took a deep breath that no one could see and, in an uncharacteristic move, asked "do you want me to go?" panic "to work, I mean"

Cuddy knew he didn't mean 'to work'. He meant in general. And no, she really didn't want him to.

"Do I want you to go to work?" she asked with a smile "Is that the question?"

She was on to him "no" said House in a small voice, not meeting her eyes.

"No" smiled Cuddy

"Huh?" asked House suddenly feeling a little lost

"That's my answer. No. I don't want you to go …"

After that, there was another silence while they just sat there, listening to the music. Slowly, Cuddy leaned back and, catching her movement out of the corner of his eye, House moved his arm so that, once she reached the back of the couch, she'd be resting on it. Wow, he felt like a pathetic teenager again. Which was odd, because he'd never _really_ been a pathetic teenager.

Feeling his strong arm come into contact with her back, Cuddy looked, turning her head slowly, at House. He had a small smile on his face, but he wasn't looking at her. Not as far as she could tell, anyway. But as she leaned further, resting her head on his shoulder as Ronan Keating's "When you say nothing at all" started to play, she felt his arm close around her, and, suddenly, they were sitting, alone, listening to Cuddy's love-themed songs, her head resting somewhere between his shoulder and chest, his hand resting on the small of her back.

Smiling as he felt her shift her head against him, House listened to the lyrics.

_It's amazing how you,_

_Can speak right to my heart._

_Without saying a word,_

_You can light up the dark,_

_Try as I may,_

_I can never explain_

_What I hear when you don't say a thing_

Slowly, as one song changed to another, Cuddy slipped off into sleep. Apparently, this having a human being growing inside of you, thing, could be quite tiring. Well, that and the rollercoaster of emotions that this new 'House' was bringing about in her.

Eventually, the sounds of Meredith Brooks' "I'm a bitch" infiltrated the room and House felt the supposedly-sleeping Cuddy smile against his chest.

_I'm a bitch,_

_I'm a lover,_

_I'm a child,_

_I'm a sinner, _

_I'm a saint_

Cuddy smiled because she really was 'f', all of the above. She could be a bitch, to House, to power-thirty investors, to assholes who thought of her as nothing but a piece of meet. She could be a lover, a _very_ good lover as, she was sure, House would proudly attest to. She was, at times, still a child, scared of being alone and afraid of not finding someone to help her. If lying was a sin, then she assumed lying to your baby's father about him being the father was, most definitely, a sin, so yea, she was a sinner and as far as being a saint went, well, right then, holding her in his arms, House would say she looked like nothing less.

"Cuddy?" she heard House's voice

"hm?"

"You wanna sleep?" he asked and got a short nod in return "Ok … come on"

Slowly, House helped Cuddy up and, letting her lean on him as he used his cane, helped her to the spare bedroom she'd been living in since her return from the hospital.

"Thanks" she said as she lay down and watched House's uncertain face "stay?" she whispered holding a hand out to him.

With what Cuddy would have sworn was a genuine smile, had it not been for the lack of light in the room, House took her hand and lied down beside her.

Slowly, Cuddy shifted over so that she was lying in his arms again. She could really get used to this.

As Cuddy slept, House listened to the music still coming from the other room. Now it was Aerosmith's "Don't wanna miss a thing", and appropriate song, to say the very least.

_I could stay awake,_

_Just to hear you breathing,_

_Watch you smile while you are sleeping,_

_While you're far away, dreaming_

_I could spend my life,_

_In this sweet surrender,_

_I could stay lost in this moment,_

_Forever,_

_Every moment spent with you,_

_Is a moment I treasure,_

_I don't wanna close my eyes,_

_I don't wanna fall asleep,_

'_coz I miss you, baby,_

_And I don't wanna miss a thing_

_Coz even when I dream of you,_

_The sweetest dream will never do,_

_I still miss you baby, _

_And I don't wanna miss a thing,_

_Lying close to you,_

_Feeling your heart beating,_

_And I'm wondering what you're dreaming,_

_Wondering if its me you're seeing,_

As the sound continued, House felt himself shift slightly, bringing Cuddy closer and, suddenly, feeling their baby kick the spot where her stomach touched his side.

Before drifting off into sleep completely, House reached for his cell phone and wrote a quick text to Wilson, just in case he thought of picking House up at his place.

At Cuddy's.

Be here at 11:00,

H.

Smiling at the idea of Wilson reading that and spending the whole night up trying to understand what it meant, House closed his eyes and began to drift.

In those last moments of consciousness, he felt Cuddy's lips brush his neck as she shifted her position and, even when his mind had very little control over his body, he had to fight the urge to turn his head and let her, 'accidentally', kiss him. He really did.

**TBC**

_

* * *

_

_Also, what'd you guys think of the last episode "Unfaithful"? … do you remember back in January when we were told that the 100__th__ eppie would be a "gift from TV gods"? … I think they were actually referring to this one. It was SOOOOOO sweet/heartbreaking … : ) / : ( .... and "the softer side"? That ending just killed me! ... can't believe we have to wait two weeks!!! AH!_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	27. Chapter 27

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! (Oh, and I, OVIOUSLY, don't own Toys 'r' Us either)_

_**A/N: **__Ok, so I REALLY have to apologise for the wait. SORRY! I've just been up to my neck (sometimes eve past) in exams and studying and my brain has been completely dead afterwards. This chapter isn't as long as the previous ones, and it may not be particularly exciting (I dunno) but it'll get the story into the perfect set up for some potentially great fun :P_

_I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to update again … but I'm done with my exams on Friday morning … so next weekend would be the safest bet. _

_Also, one reader expressed some concern that this troy might be getting to sweet and sugary. Let me reassure you guys that there is a purpose to building up a really nice, comfy atmosphere now … it'll be used later when … well … later (Insert evil laugh)_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"Morning" said Wilson as House swiftly entered his car which was parked outside Cuddy home.

Upon receiving a wake up call from Wilson, one that Wilson seemed to think of as less of wake up call and more of an "I'm arriving in five minutes, you'd better be ready" call, House had slipped from Cuddy's grasp, replacing his shoulder with her pillows, and had taken his time in the bathroom, washing his face and … well … that was about it. Finally, after realising that he _really_ needed to go home at some point, stealing odd bits of food from Cuddy's fridge and popping a few Vicodin, House made his way outside where, inevitably, Wilson was already waiting for him.

"So, when I called to tell you I was arriving …" began Wilson

"Oh! That's what it was" replied House sarcastically "Sorry, you sound so much like those chicks from the wake up call service. I got confused"

Shaking his head, Wilson merely started the car and headed off in the direction of the closest "Toys 'r' Us", the best and, frankly, only, shop he knew where everything for a baby could be found in the same place.

For the first few minutes, there was nothing but silence. That was pretty much what happened whenever Wilson hoped House would take it upon himself to talk about something and House hoped Wilson would get bored of waiting and move on. Apparently, neither was getting what he wanted. So, shaking his head slightly as he brought the car to a stop at a red light, Wilson took it upon himself to start the inevitable conversation.

"So, care to explain you're text?" he asked, looking, his head tilted at an odd angle, at the traffic light above.

"I wasn't aware that it was cryptic," said House _really_ not wanting to have his feelings analysed "thought it was pretty straight forwards, actually" pulling out his phone, he pretended to search for the message "'At Cuddy's, be here at 11, H' … yea" he nodded "Oh, right, 'H' … that's short for House" he added placing the phone back in his pocket.

Sighing, Wilson looked out of the corner of his eye at his friend and, again, shook his head.

"Sorry, I wasn't blunt enough," he said nodding and motioning with his hand over the wheel "what the hell were you doing at Cuddy's over night?" he asked, this time looking at House.

House didn't answer. Not right away. He was faced with two options: make Wilson believe he'd slept with Cuddy in a different sense than the one he had, or tell him the truth and risk analysis.

"What do you think I was doing?" he asked looking straight ahead, not choosing path a or b but deciding to sit on the large rick between them and wait for the trees to move and show him a path c.

"House …" Wilson spoke looking at him warningly "… she's pregnant"

"I'm aware" said House nodding "but see, you may have missed that lesson in med school, but knocked up women, they also need sleep"

"You're saying you just _slept _with her?" he asked

"Wait … in which sense of the words? I'm confused" said House looking over at Wilson with a mock confused face "Oh, right, the one where I just _slept_ there"

"You just stayed there, in the same house as the woman you're in love with and you want me to believe all you did was lie down on the couch, close your eyes, snuggle into the pillows and sleep?" asked Wilson, his voice as sceptic as ever.

"Woman I'm in _what_?" asked House now looking over at Wilson, not liking the fact that his friend was casually using the words he, himself, couldn't say "those are some heavy words …"

"Fine" said Wilson closing his eyes momentarily before continuing "the woman you _like_" he emphasised the last work with a particularly childish tone before adding "God, you're such a 13 year old"

Grinning House happily moved on "no, that's not what I'm saying at all"

"Wait? So you did more than just sleep there?" now Wilson was confused

"No …"

"Then what are you saying?"

House was silent again. He needed someone to talk to. Wilson was the one person he had. But he'd find his plan stupid. He'd tell him that there was absolutely no way he would be able to walk away once the kid was born. He'd do everything in his power to stop him. But, then again, he didn't have to know the whole plan.

"I just slept there, but …" he stopped again. Why the hell did he find it so hard to voice something as simple as 'I slept in the same bed as the mother of my child?'.

"You know what? Forget it, I don't want to know" said Wilson raising a hand in a resigned fashion and setting his focus back on the road ahead of them.

James Wilson was a smart man, and House knew that. He knew this'd eventually work. House'd get bored of being ignored and would talk.

For a few minutes, Wilson actually thought his tactic was going to fail. But it hadn't.

"I slept with Cuddy" said House, not bothering to fill in all the facts.

"What?!" asked Wilson "But you just said …"

"No, you idiot" House sighed "I 'slept' with her. In the same bed. Sleep"

Wilson frowned for a few seconds and pondered this.

"Wait. So, what? You're a couple now?" he asked tentatively, hoping the answer would be a yes. It wasn't.

"What? No!" then House thought again "I don't think so" did she?

"Wait? So you slept in the same bed, you've been spending all your time there, and you _aren't_ a couple?" asked Wilson trying to get his facts straight.

"Yea" nodded House processing the information as he moved his head.

"And that's all you've done, just, been there … ?" asked Wilson trying to read his friend's face which, for once was showing a little more than just a brick wall.

Well, no, he'd done more than that. They'd made out, twice? Three times? He forgot now, but they had. And it'd been great. And he desperately wanted an excuse to do it again, preferably not one that involved thinking the baby was dying, but an excuse would be …

"House?"

"Yea, that's it …" he said nodding, thinking he sounded pretty unconvincing, but, judging by Wilson's nod, figuring he had succeeded in his little lie. Sure, they'd kissed, and he liked it, but there was no need to go telling Wilson that. No need for him to tell him what that meant, or what it could mean to her.

"So … _why_ does she think you're there?" asked the Oncologist as Toys 'r' Us came into view two blocks from where they were.

This one he could answer, it wasn't his fault. So House proceeded to tell him that Cuddy had called him in a panic, expertly dodged Wilson's question of why she'd called him, of all people, and concluded with a simple 'I needed a place to sleep' just as Wilson pulled into the parking lot.

* * *

The inside of the store, while most kids would describe it as 'heaven', House felt it was something more akin to the fiery pits of hell. There were kids everywhere, particularly the small kind. The ones that hold onto your hand and ask 'why' all the time. Looking around, House couldn't possibly understand why he wanted this. Why some part of him was elated at the fact that there was a little kid with half his DNA on the way. But he did. God, that was screwed up.

"So … this shopping for a baby thing," began House as he eyed the gigantic stuffed giraffe that stood by the entrance suspiciously "what exactly does it entail?"

"It's pretty simple, I helped her out before with, uh …"

There was a pause where House rolled his eyes

"She's not here" said House frowning "you can say it …"

"…Joy" finished Wilson with a disapproving look at House "Crib, changing table, a few paintings to decorate the room, some toys … and that's it …"

"Fun!" said House in his high pitched mock tone as Wilson started to head towards the Baby's 'r' Us section of the store.

**TBC**

* * *

_Also, for those of you who've seen the promo for this week's eppie, The Social Contract, where Cuddy walks into the MRI room and the patient makes a pretty hilarious comment … you know how she says "House paged?" … think or favourite diagnostician planned that one? ;)_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	28. Chapter 28

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! (Oh, and I, OVIOUSLY, don't own Toys 'r' Us either)_

_**A/N: **__Heya! So, EXAMS ARE OVER! (until May …) so updating should no longer be a problem :D_

So, I hope you like this chapter, it's still mainly 'Hilson' friendship, but I'll soon be moving back to Huddyness and House/Wilson/Cuddy friendship, so despair not, our favourite administrator will be back soon :D

Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews, I really do appreciate them :D So please do keep telling me what you think : )

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

The 'Baby's 'r' Us' section was hidden towards the back of the huge shop. Compared to the rest of the place, House figured it looked like a completely different store. While everywhere else had been full of colourful boxes and running children, this section was, well, boring. Everything was made in such pale tones that, if one were to squint, they would all merge into white, there was a slow piano tune leaking from the overhead speakers and only about two or three people walking around, all with smiles plastered on their faces, all looking blissfully happy.

Shouldn't he be too? Why couldn't he have a stupid smile on his face? Why couldn't he be overjoyed at having a say in what his kid's room would look like. Because he was House, that's why, because while he _was_ happy, he didn't feel the need to let the whole world know.

"Can we hurry this up?" House asked Wilson as they passed a smiling couple holding a piece of paper with all the references for their desired items.

"We just got here" said Wilson shaking his head as they approached the section where the cribs were displayed.

House couldn't believe all the shapes and sizes these things came in. Seriously. The baby really wouldn't care where it was sleeping. If Cuddy were giving birth to a hormonal 16 year old boy with an obsession for cars and a nice collection of playboy posters, he could understand the fuss. But a baby? What would he or she care if their crib was made of pine, or oak, if it was wood coloured, green, yellow, blue, pink. And that was another thing. What was it with all these conventions? Why did boys wear blue and girls pink? Why couldn't they both wear purple? Or orange? This was his kid. And there was no way in hell he was going to let Wilson pigeon-hole it from the very start.

"That one's cute, don't you think?" asked Wilson pointing to a simple, wooden crib. It had a nice soft wood colour and no varnish and inside it, it was filled with pink bedding and an impossible amount of toys "I mean, since we don't know if it'll be a boy or a girl, we'd hav e to change the bedding and stuff, you know, get a neutral colour, but I dunno. What do you think?" Wilson asked House, after all, he _was_ the kid's father.

"Whatever" shrugged House, really not understanding why this was so important.

"House! This is your kid too, help me out here!" Wilson whispered angrily as a couple passed my them. The woman was well into her third trimester.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she noticed Wilson whispering at House "Your first?" she asked them

For a minute, Wilson just stared at her in bewilderment as House decided to have some fun "Oh, yes" he said, something someone on the outside would consider a genuine smile playing on his face "sometimes it's like _he's_ the one having the baby" he shook his head with a smile at Wilson and placed and arm around his shoulder.

If it weren't for his confusion, Wilson would have found himself laughing at House's mock-sincerity.

"Well, good luck" the woman smiled as her husband pulled her away.

"Why'd you do that?" asked Wilson removing House's arm from around his shoulder as House laughed

"When you asked me to come shopping with you today, what did you think people would think?" he laughed some more as another woman passed by and smiled at them, her had resting on her stomach.

"You could have just told her the truth" said Wilson noting down the reference for the crib they'd seen earlier, but one with a soft coat of white paint over it.

"What would the fun be in that?" asked House limping after him towards the changing tables.

Here, again, there were tables in all different shapes and sizes, most of them matching one of the cribs.

Grabbing the price tag on one, House frowned "seriously?" he asked Wilson turning the tag towards him "600 bucks for something that's going to be used to change dirty diapers on?"

"House" the oncologist sighed "just … which do you prefer?"

Shaking his head and wanting to leave as soon as possible, House looked around at the choices "at the risk of sounding like a hormonal woman, shouldn't you pick the one that matches the crib?"

Nodding, Wilson didn't bother to argue and noted down the reference for the chosen table.

After walking around a bit more while Wilson chose some paintings to put in the room and two lamps, House began to feel like a bored child and, to get rid of him, Wilson turned around in his tracks "why don't you go to the toys section and pick something out for your kid?" he asked, hoping House would at least be able to do that without arguing.

Seeing his opportunity to escape from baby hell, House nodded and limped away from Wilson.

* * *

The toy's section, House had to admit, was a whole lot better than the baby's section. Sure, the girl's part was the last place he'd ever want to be caught in, after all, there was only so much pink one could tolerate. But the boy's section was a completely different story. Action figures, bikes, plastic swords. Fun stuff.

It wasn't until he walked past the toy-instrument section that House remembered he wasn't shopping for a boy, he was shopping for a kid that could be either. Music was ok for both genders right?

So limping towards the display, House saw miniature electric guitars with small amps, tiny drum-kits, fake-saxophones, little red keyboards and … '_Oh, yes_' he thought, a key board. Not a small one either. A full sized, Casio deal with a stand and pre-recorded songs and sounds. He'd found his piece of heaven in hell.

Once his fingers found the keys, not even the kids who had stopped at the beginning of the corridor bothered him. He was _so_ getting this.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually, his playing was stopped by Wilson who, with a cart full of small boxes which housed two lamps and five paintings, seemed ready to move on to the toys.

"House" he spoke "that thing will be bigger than the kid until his or her fourth birthday …"

"So?" asked House taking the reference for the keyboard "did that ever stop Mozart?"

"You think your kid's going to be Mozart?" asked Wilson, knowing that the odds of that happening were actually pretty high considering who the kid's parents were.

Looking up at his friend, House merely played the opening bars of Mozart's Serenade from "Eine Kleine Nachtmuskin" and, turning off the keyboard, limped towards the cart.

Shaking his head and smiling, Wilson looked at his friend "fine" and the two began moving towards the baby-toys section.

3 giant stuffed animals, 6 smaller ones, 2 little plastic music boxes with lighting sections and colourful buttons and 1 rocking chair later, the two doctors headed towards the check-out counter and paid for everything.

Bitching about the ridiculous price, House limped next to Wilson to the pick-up counter to get the large boxes.

"If you think it was that expensive, you should have let me pay" said Wilson handing the man behind the desk the references

In response, House merely mumbled something. Knowing full well what it had been, and wanting to hear his friend say it out loud, Wilson asked "what was that?"

House mumbled again

"Sorry?" Wilson smirked

"It's my kid, alright?" House spoke looking at the blue counter-top and doing his best to ignore Wilson's growing smirk.

**TBC**

* * *

_Ok so, next episode tomorrow … anyone else REALLY want House to make a connection between the 'Kitty' and Cuddy? That could be so funny :P_

_Oh and "your ass is like the pistons in a Ferrari" … that was B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L :P_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	29. Chapter 29

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__See? Exams end and here I am, updating regularly :P This is another one of those 'introspective' chapters, I felt we needed another one because I remembered another factor that I hadn't made house think about yet or, rather, a factor that I felt was important to be taken into consideration … but it would be seriously OOC for either Wilson OR House to talk about it … so I went for their thoughts …_

_I hope you like it, I already have the next chapter all planned out and will probably start writing it after dinner. If it works out as I plan, then I think you'll like it, maybe even REALLY like it …_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

After watching Wilson haul all the large boxes into his car, House nodded, sucking on the lollipop he had bought earlier at the check-out counter, and, in a manner that suggested his 'work' was 'complete', he swiftly moved into the passenger seat of Wilson's car.

"Thanks for your help" said Wilson panting slightly after all the heavy lifting

"Wilson" said House with mock disapproval while holding up his cane "making a cripple feel guilty for not offering help in a physically demanding task? Shame on you"

Shaking his head, Wilson faced forwards and, after having regained his breath, started the car. Within 2 minutes, House, like a bored kid, was searching through the different radio stations, looking for anything minimally good to listen to.

"Will you stop that?" asked Wilson switching off the radio as House got ready to search through the endless waves of static for the 10th time.

"But mo-om" argued the diagnostician reaching out to turn the radio back on.

Slapping his hand away, Wilson just looked at him.

"What?"

"You're really not going to say anything?" Asked Wilson, fully aware that House was the master of evasiveness, but never expecting him to be able to completely move on from his previous statement as if it had never happened.

"About what?" asked House sitting back in his seat, already not liking where the conversation was going.

"What you said, back there" he motioned to the quickly fading store behind them with his thumb "I mean, that's kinda … big!"

"What? Me stating the obvious? Nah! I do that daily …" said House, intent on sticking to his guns and avoiding an emotional talk.

"Yes, you do state the obvious daily. However, this particular piece of 'obvious', you've been happily denying for 4 months …" countered the oncologist

Sighing, House shook his head "will you just drop it?"

"No, I will not drop it" Wilson shook his head in return "you need to deal with this, I figured by month 4 you'd do something … but we are now approaching month 7 and you're still at square one …"

"Wilson" said House looking over at his friend "let it go"

"You told me you lo… liked her, you admitted it, so why not? Why not just …"

"Wilson!" said House looking over at his friend with the kind of face he had on when someone pressed for two much information about his father, the kind he had on when he _really_ didn't want to talk about something "Let. It. Go."

Figuring it would be best not push further, Wilson, once again, raised his hands up in resignation and focused on the few more miles ahead of them.

It wasn't until they were six blocks from Cuddy's place that either of them spoke again. And, surprisingly, it wasn't the oncologist who broke the silence.

As the silence surrounded them, House began to think; something he was famous for doing. But these weren't thoughts he wanted. These weren't thoughts of emersion in medical mysteries, or of naked women, these were thoroughly unwanted, _emotional_ thoughts.

He remembered the mothers and fathers at the store, their happy faces, their blissful peace. Every little thing about having a child making them glow, nothing but the prospect of happiness hovering over their horizon. But him, the broken, self-absorbed, puzzle-addict, he had no happiness on, or past, his horizon, he would never be _blissful_, he was in _pain_, he was _alone_ and, even if all that were to change, he'd still considered himself to be a worse candidate for fatherhood than that US marine, with whom he happened to share his last name, had been those 48 years ago.

"I can't do this" said House in a small, particularly uncharacteristic voice.

"Can't do, _what_" asked Wilson trying to figure out which, of the many things House needed to do but refused to, he was referring to.

"This" he motioned to the large boxes in the car.

"But…" began Wilson, intent on telling him that, if he never tried, he'd never get anywhere.

"…I mean, seriously, would _you_ want me as your father? 'Coz I wouldn't … and I don't have very high standards …"

That was a sad thing to hear. Not only because House hadn't said he didn't want it, he'd said he _couldn't_ do it, but also because, to think that House considered his abusive, intolerant father better for the job than himself, made Wilson's heart tighten a little.

'I can't do this'. House knew his friend would understand what he was saying. He didn't mean to have Wilson think he didn't want to have the kid. He knew full well that, if he couldn't even lie to himself about it, something which, to be fair, he was a bit of an expert at, he wouldn't be able to lie to his best friend. But the truth was, he _couldn't_ do it. Not because he _physically_ couldn't. Because he could. He knew how to take care of a kid, he was a doctor, after all. But because he emotionally couldn't do it. He couldn't handle his kid hating him like he had hated the man his mother had decided to reproduce with. He couldn't handle seeing a child, _his_ child, look up at him with the same look of disappointment and hatred that he had used on John House.

It was difficult for House to love. But what was more difficult for him, was the pain that came with losing someone he'd grown to love; pain the strength of which no drug could diffuse. It had happened once, with Stacy. And it had taken him five years to get over her; _her_, not 'it', because 'it', the incessant pain of being abandoned, that was something he would never forget.

Wilson knew what he had meant. He knew House feared rejection, he knew he carried his cane as a sentence for misery. But he also knew that any kid would be lucky to have House as a father. Because House knew what not to be, he knew which roads not to go down and which actions not to take. He had learnt that the hard way, and hard-learned lessons are rarely forgotten. House would be the best father a kid could ask for.

But his fear of rejection, his innate fear of vulnerability, it stopped him from seeing the truth. The mere possibility that something might go wrong, that he might lose his kid, or, perhaps worse, Cuddy, it was driving him away from what he wanted; what he wanted to have with _both _of them.

But Wilson knew Cuddy would never leave him once she had him. Actually, anyone who had ever seen Cuddy look at the father of her child would, most likely, be willing to swear, under oath, that she would _never_ leave him. Because if you can love someone that damaged, and put up with their crap day in day out, and still stick by their side always, unquestioningly, then there is nothing about them that could ever drive you away.

Wilson knew his friend would never lose Lisa and he was sure he would never lose his kid. But he didn't know how to get House to see that, how to get him to open up to the woman he loved and give that little baby a chance.

Wilson sighed, they were pulling up outside Cuddy's home and, after his last words, House seemed to be through with opening up as he opened the door just as the car came to a full stop, and limped out.

**TBC**

* * *

_So, I hope you liked that. I just felt that House's father should be weighed in there, because really, if the REAL House were ever in this position, that would be one of the first things he'd think of, right? _

_SPOILERS 5x18: Also, for those who've seen yesterday's eppie … That scene in her office? The way he was checking her out? Ha! Top 5 Huddy moments, easy!_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	30. Chapter 30

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Ok, let's all yell at me for the time taken to update. I'm SORRY! But in my defence, I did have basketball practices like everyday in preparation for a basketball tournament that I had this weekend. And then, once I got back, I had to catch up on all the homework I missed while I was away in the north of the country playing … But we came in second, and I have officially earned 21 medals from my school in about 5 different sports … so hey, bonus _

_Anyway, I'm back now. Yay! And here's the new chapter. There is a line/reference in there that may have been, in a way, inspired by a scene in Juno … but I think it's something House would point out, so it fits._

_Once again, sorry for the HUGE wait, and thank you so much fro your reviews! I have officially passed 500 and am loving it. So yea, THANKS!_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"Yellow sheets?" asked House five minutes later as he and Wilson began to unpack the car

"Yea?" questioned Wilson unsure where his friend was going with this.

"Have you ever met a man who has yellow sheets?" asked House holding up the two bags containing the offending fabrics "I mean, besides you"

"You don't know if it's a boy, House" sighed Wilson taking the bags from him and heading over to the front door where Cuddy had just appeared.

Before he could reply, House spotted Cuddy leaning against the door frame, her arms folded over her belly, a smile playing on her face. That was when he realised that it was at him that she was smiling at him and the fact that he was holding a bag full of baby toys.

And there he was again, terrified. Terrified of what that smile meant and, especially, terrified of how much he enjoyed and loved it.

Looking away, House grabbed another bag and limped with it towards the door step where he deposited it before returning to the car for more.

"Had fun, boys?" asked Cuddy as Wilson placed three bags at her feet and House busied himself searching in the trunk of the car so as not to have to look at her.

"Yea, loads" said Wilson with a sarcastic smile while looking at House's back. Cuddy smiled in return.

It took them about 10 more minutes to get all the large boxes out of the car and into the baby's room, and, just as they hauled the box containing the crib through the door, the grey sky above gave in and large, threatening drops of water began to fall.

* * *

Looking around the room at the piled boxes and bags, Wilson smiled.

"I have a few more hours" he started "if you want, I could help House here set these up"

"Help? What? Who?" asked House who had been too overwhelmed by the baby things and the reality they brought to the situation to actually follow the conversation.

"That'd be great, actually" said Cuddy smiling "you could probably have quite a few of these set up by dinner time. I'll get the tool box"

With that, Cuddy was gone and House turned to Wilson "did you just volunteer me, el cripple" he waved his cane "to build _baby_ cribs and changing tables?" he asked.

"As you said" Wilson smiled triumphantly "it is _your_ baby"

Before House could hit him on the back of the head and make a limp for it, Cuddy returned with a tool box that, by the looks of things, hadn't been used in, well, ever.

"That should have everything you need" she said handing the box to Wilson as House hung his head and looked at the massive boxes. This was going to be mildly unpleasant.

* * *

Ripping pieces of card off the boxes was easy, and, truth be told, kind of fun for a frustrated diagnostician who hated the thought of the woman of his dreams sitting in a chair Wilson had moved into the room while he, begrudgingly, played carpenter.

The next part, however, was not as easy. Well, it would be easy, considering the two people working on the crib were highly trained, intelligent doctors. But House's unwillingness to actually 'build' anything, meant that Wilson did most of the job and, therefore, it ended up taking much longer than needed.

Screwing two sides of the crib together was easy enough for Wilson. The third a little more challenging. However, it was the base part that most inconvenienced the oncologist. As he tried to fit the large rectangle of wood into the frame created by the three sides, Wilson found himself trapped under it all and unable to find the appropriate screw.

"Shit" he muttered

"What was that?" asked House whose current job seemed to be holding onto one of the standing sides of the crib even though, should he let go, it'd still stand.

"I need a screw" sighed Wilson looking around

"Tell us something we don't know" smiled House

Frowning and sighing at House, Wilson exchanged a quick look with Cuddy and, turning back to House, spoke "just hand me that screw, will you?"

"That what?" asked House, finally thankful for something that he could entertain himself with

Shaking her head, Cuddy leant over a little and rolled the small screw towards James who proceeded to find the right place for it.

"Spoil sport" muttered House returning to his job as crib-side holder.

A few seconds went by as Cuddy shook her head, House sulked and Wilson tried to understand why he could remove a tumour in his sleep but seemed incapable of putting a simple crib together.

"Great" he sighed leaning his head back on the floor as the base of the crib lay on him "this screwdriver doesn't fit"

"Ha!" laughed House, once again, finding a way to be immature rather than deal with his feelings towards the baby, Cuddy and his involvement in the whole affair "that's what she said!"

"Mature" whispered Cuddy as she turned to Wilson "what kind is it? I may have some…"

"Phillips head …" sighed Wilson, frustrated at his current, particularly uncomfortable position.

"That's the cross one, right?" asked Cuddy

"Yea"

"I'm pretty sure I have one in the garage …" she said looking at House

"What are you looking at me for?" he asked waving his cane in a 'duh' fashion.

Smiling mockingly, Cuddy motioned to Wilson and his somewhat trapped position and, to state the obvious, looked down at her ever expanding stomach.

Frowning, and seeing no way of getting out of this without substituting Wilson or making Cuddy go – two things he didn't want to do – House sighed and headed towards the door.

"There's a door through the kitchen, right?" he asked as he turned out of the room

"Yea" replied Cuddy and, after hearing the sound of House jiggling the doorknob to the garage, added "but it's stuck" at that, Wilson had to laugh "you'll have to go 'round"

"Oh, yay" the two doctors heard House reply as he limped past the room again towards the front door, shooting the fallen Wilson an unfriendly glare as he passed.

* * *

Thankfully, it had stopped raining a few minutes previously, because judging by the rising water mark at the bottom of his jeans, had he been caught in the shower, he would have been soaked to the bone.

Opening the door to Cuddy's garage, House hung his head. For someone who was so picky about order at work, Lisa Cuddy sure wasn't that fussy about her garage. Actually, saying she didn't minimally care about the state of her garage would have been an accurate statement.

There were luggage cases piled up in one corner, appliances that were either out of order or served for gardening and, therefore, belonged to her gardener, not her littered the place. The counter tops were full of old magazines and boxes packed with all sorts of odds and ends. Basically, it was the last place on earth someone would ever want to go to look for anything. And yet, that was exactly what House had to do.

* * *

"You feeling ok down there?" asked Cuddy smiling at Wilson who looked a bit like a squashed insect.

"Yea, I'm great" he replied with a smile

"So, tell me …" she started, her light, but a hint of expectation in it "what was he like at the store?"

Smiling at her need to know, Wilson replied "he was fine. Got bored about 5 minutes in, found him hanging around the toy instrument section … it was fine. He even …" when he realised what he was about to say, he stopped himself "No. Never mind"

"What?" asked Cuddy, suddenly interested

"Nah, it was nothing, don't worry about it"

This moment was followed by total silence for about two minutes until Cuddy spotted it. The one box that really didn't belong in a baby's room.

"Is that …" she pointed at it questioningly.

"Yea … he figured, I dunno … that, at some point, the kid would like it?" tried Wilson, not sure if House would thank him for saying the truth, that he wanted _his_ kid to know the pleasure of playing a piano.

"Well that's, er, interesting" said Cuddy, sensing that there was more to that than Wilson was saying.

* * *

Having successfully found the necessary screwdriver, House began to make his way outside when, five metres from the front porch, the sky opened up again and he found himself, a fairly stupid look on his face, being drenched.

"Oh, great" he said sarcastically, shaking his head slightly to remove the droplets that were accumulating on his face and heading into the house.

* * *

As Cuddy was about to grill Wilson about the keyboard, the two turned their heads towards the door from where that particularly amusing sound of wet shoes was coming.

Quickly glancing at the window, the two saw the pouring rain and had to exchange a smile. Oh, this was going to be fun!

**TBC**

* * *

_So, a lighter chapter than the previous one, but I guess, in it's way, entertaining right? _

_Oh, and the promo for 5x20? Anyone else dying to know what's so special about it? All I know is I hope there's more than ONE huddy scene … it's starting to drive me insane the lack of Huddyness … *sighs*_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	31. Chapter 31

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__I'm back! Between the studying for 7 subjects and the sleeping, I really haven't had much time to write this, but, tonight, I, for some odd reason, felt particularly inspired and so, here you go, new chapter :D (yay!) On top of that, I can also tell you that I have a new House fic in the making, but it probably won't be up until this one's finished, or at least until I have more of it written and this one's closer to the end :P_

Also, and again, thank you so much for your lovely reviews, I really appreciate and love them and, if I could give each a chocolate chip cookie, I would, but they haven't invented teleporters yet … *sigh*

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"Got your screw driver" said House walking in like nothing was wrong while Cuddy tried, and failed, to hide her laughter.

"Thanks" said Wilson taking the tool from House and looking at him, waiting for him to state the obvious or make some sort of comment. When he didn't, Wilson merely looked at Cuddy.

"So" started Cuddy "how are you feeling?" again she was on the verge of laughing

"Great. Why'd you ask?"

"House …" she sighed "… you're going to catch a cold if you stay in those clothes.

"What?" House looked down at his dripping clothes like he had no idea what Cuddy was talking about.

"House" she smiled at Wilson "go take a shower"

"That seems like a wonderful plan" his sarcasm retorted "but see, I have nothing to change back into"

"I, uh, I have some old t-shirts you could borrow" replied Cuddy not meeting his eye, not wanting to explain to him who those t-shirts belonged to.

"Great" he replied "what about trousers?"

"I have some gym shorts in my car?" offered Wilson who had, during the exchange, managed to secure the bottom of the crib in place and was finally getting up.

"You sure that thing is stable?" asked House, earning a curious look from Cuddy who was more than surprised at the concern in his voice. When Wilson merely looked at him in a manner that said 'I will not dignify that with an answer', Cuddy insisted House take a shower again.

"I really don't …" just as he was about to finish his thought, a shiver travelled up and down his whole body as the hairs on his arm stood on end.

"You were saying?" asked Cuddy, a certain maternal streak coming out in her "come on, just take a shower, put on some dried clothes and I can put yours in the drier so they're ready when you go"

At the end of that sentence, there was a slight awkwardness. She didn't want him to go, though she knew he'd have to, eventually. And he didn't want to go either though, again, the need for some clean clothes, a tooth brush and a trim of his scruff/beard was starting to make leaving inevitable.

As another shiver coursed through his body, House gave in "fine, where's this bathroom of yours?"

"Come with me" she said heading out of the room, a hand on her stomach, leading the soaked diagnostician towards the stairs. "I'm not going up" she said, motioning her stomach as the reason for not risking the steep stairs to her bedroom "but you should find everything you need up there. Bathroom's pretty self-explanatory, the t-shirts are in the bottom drawer of the dresser, and towels are under the sink"

Nodding, House headed up the stairs, leaving a trail of water droplets behind him as he went.

* * *

Returning to the baby's room, Cuddy found Wilson placing the fully-built crib in one corner and watched as he placed the mattress inside it.

"This is really happening, isn't it?" she asked with a smile as she felt her baby kick.

"Yea, it is" Wilson smiled back as he opened the package with the sheets and began to make the bed.

"You're lucky House isn't watching this" she said taking a seat again "he would mock you mercilessly for making the bed" she smiled

"Let him mock me" replied Wilson "my niece or nephew in there deserves a nice bed, right?" he asked smiling at Cuddy

"Yes, Uncle James" laughed Cuddy as she continued to watch Wilson make the bed.

* * *

In Cuddy's bathroom, as the warm water flowed down his freezing body, House tried his best not to think of the times Cuddy had been in there, by herself, taking a bubble bath …

He shook his head. This was not the kind of mental image he needed. So, grabbing Cuddy's flower-scented shampoo, he sighed and quickly washed his hair.

The fact that her smell would now follow him everywhere didn't help much either.

* * *

When, still in the baby's room, Wilson heard the water upstairs keep running but the heat be turned off, he smiled. '_Oh yea, House, she has no effect on you whatsoever_'.

* * *

Re-warmed and recomposed, House quickly towel-dried his hair and, a towel tied around his waist, headed into Cuddy's bedroom.

"Hey, WILSON!" he shouted down the stairs "Need some shorts up here!" when he heard the front door open and a car alarm being turned off, House turned to the top drawer to find what kind of t-shirts Cuddy had been referring to.

'_Oh, this is _just_ great_' he thought as, in between a few of her own t-shirts and tops, he located some, quite obvious, male t-shirts. T-shirts that, he knew, she would never have bought for herself. Some T-shirts which read things that Cuddy would usually yell at him for even thinking. They were, undoubtedly old, er, _boyfriends'_, and, surprisingly, that bothered House more than he dared to admit.

"Here you go" said Wilson handing him the shorts from the doorway.

"Thanks, just drop them on the chair" said House still rummaging in the drawer.

"You gonna take long?" asked Wilson from the door

House would have told him that no, he was going to be done as soon as possible, but something in the drawer before him caught his eye so all he got out was "uhuh" which could really be interpreted either way.

As Wilson's footsteps descended the steps back to the bottom floor, House stared at the shirt he'd just found. There, at the very back of the drawer, folded and pressed like it had never been when he'd owned it, was a particularly familiar t-shirt he hadn't seen in, oh, 20 years or so. His t-shirt. The one he'd lent her when …

As the memories of those days flooded back and his, already heightened emotions towards the woman began to poke their heads out, House shoved a bunch of Cuddy's tops back on top of the offending garment and grabbed a plane black T-shirt with some company's logo on the back.

Quickly getting dressed and trying to ignore the disturbing feel of some other man's shirt on him, the thoughts of where Wilson's gym shorts had been and the insanely appealing smell of Cuddy's shampoo emanating from his hair, House grabbed his cane and exited the room, his mind still more or less focused on what he was leaving behind. Again.

**TBC**

* * *

_Episode 20 was so sad! :'( …  
But, from the promo for episode 21, I'm starting to feel better again … I mean, "are you in love with House?" … HA! Anyone else smell a cat fight? :P_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	32. Chapter 32

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Hello! So, this chapter is, well, nothing like I had originally planned and, as you read the end, you might even say it is slightly cruel … or maybe that's just me. But, while I know exactly how this fic is going to end, I wasn't sure how to fill the space between now (Cuddy's 6__th__ month of pregnancy) and the time she delivers … This path that just, randomly, popped into my head seems to provide a way of filling it while staying interesting and a little suspenseful (all the things, I think, a fic needs to be good)._

_So yea, I hope you don't get too angry at me for doing that (of course you don't know what that is yet … but you will. Soon.). And believe me when I say, it will lead to places you will like. _

_So, thanks again for all your lovely reviews, I'm really happy that, after all this time, people still like this and are still reviewing and favourite-ing it :D And I hope to keep things up to the standard you like ; )_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

---------

"Ha!" laughed Wilson when he saw House re-enter the baby room in his gym shorts, an unknown t-shirt and his soggy sneakers. The cane he was leaning on only added to the oddness of the sight.

"Feeling better?" asked Cuddy, her maternal side really kicking in.

House merely nodded. The t-shirt was feeling way too tight and, somehow, he kept feeling like his scar was visible.

"Well, you smell nice" mocked Wilson as he passed by his friend to open one of the boxes that contained shelves.

Grinning sarcastically, House couldn't help but look at Cuddy as the smell penetrated his nose again and his mind thought of nothing but her.

And Cuddy saw it, she saw him briefly inhale the scent of her shampoo as he looked at her, something unknown but strangely familiar playing in his eyes.

--------

For the next three hours, the three doctors remained in the baby's room. House doing as little as he could to help Wilson, Wilson breaking his back to try and get things as ready as possible so that Cuddy wouldn't have to worry, and Cuddy loving every little glance and every sign of discomfort coming from House.

"I'm glad you found a t-shirt" she said as he, for the third time in the last minutes, pulled the fabric away from his skin.

"A lot to chose from" he replied not really looking at her, a tone of, dare she think it, jealousy adorning his tone.

"Oh, come on, there aren't that many. I only keep t-shirts from the ones I don't hate. So, not that many"

Now House did look at her, at first shocked, but then mockingly "yea, only a _few_. The one with the arrows saying 'the man' the 'legend' was my second pick" he forced a smirk.

As he turned back to Wilson who was struggling to put the final touches on the changing table, Cuddy saw him pull the shirt's collar away from his neck and shake his head a bit. Smiling to herself, she couldn't help but think that it really was bothering him.

"House, you know, if you helped me out, we could have this done by today" said Wilson looking around the room and then to the boxes. All that was left was a couple of shelves to go over the baby's cot and, of course the keyboard which he figured would be best saved for a different time when House wasn't acting as childish.

"You're doing just fine, Wilson" House faked and encouraging smile as he held the shelf in place for Wilson to drill the necessary holes and insert the appropriate screws.

--------

"Thank you so much for your help" said Cuddy as Wilson prepared to leave two hours later.

"Anytime, Cuddy" he smiled as he hugged her, adding "anything for my niece or nephew" as he looked, over her shoulder at House who merely forced a grin back.

"Well, I'd better go" he smiled at her "Call me if you need anything" then he turned to House "House, as always, a pleasure"

Once the door had closed behind him and the sound of a car starting filled the room, the two doctors left behind seemed to become aware of the other's presence.

"Well, eh, I'd better go to … I need to get out of these, uh" he looked down at the shirt then changed his mind "shorts"

Smiling, Cuddy nodded. She knew he had to go. It was cold and he was in a t-shirt and shorts. But, again, she didn't want him to. She'd gotten so used to his constant presence, to his unspoken caring and to whatever that thing between them was that the thought of being alone again was hard to bare. But he did have to go.

Looking at him now, she knew he needed to trim his scruff, he needed to take a shower that would remove her scent from him before he attempted to devour himself for it and he _definitely_ needed a change of clothes; as much as she had liked Bill, his shirt looked incredibly awkward on House.

"Yea, and, uh, thanks, you know, for … helping"

Scoffing at the idea that he had helped anything, House nodded and headed towards the door, pausing for a moment as Cuddy opened it for him.

"Well, I'll see you" he said nodding, still not moving from his spot even though the door was open and nothing was stopping him.

"Yea" she smiled placing a hand on her stomach as the baby inside began to kick frantically.

Without another word, House took a step forwards. But not towards the door; he took it towards her. Then he leant down and gently kissed her lips.

It wasn't a claiming or demanding kiss, it was just a gentle peck, almost like something they did everyday. Like it was part of their routine. And, unwilling to question it, she kissed him back, for that brief moment, deciding she'd have plenty of time to analyse all this once she was alone again.

"Bye" he nodded and this time, taking a step towards the door, left.

--------

Sitting safely on his motorcycle as he sped through the streets to his home, House fought the urge to close his eyes and shout 'stupid', limiting himself to insulting his soft side inside the cavernous spaces of his mind.

Now he'd done it. So much for backing out easily. There'd be no easy way about it. He knew it wouldn't be easy for him, but that he had been willing to deal with. But now, if he continued down this path, it wouldn't be easy for her. He'd hurt _her_. And that he didn't want to do. As the days had gone by and he'd seen what he could have, he'd realised that he couldn't come up with any renationalisation that would justify hurting her.

And the thought of her smile as he'd leaned back from her. The thought of her taste, her smell radiating from his hair, all of it clouded his senses as he turned a corner.

And that was the last thing he remembered before he crash landed into the sidewalk, his helmet cracking slightly on impact, the sound of tires screeching echoing through the streets.

--------

Now alone, Cuddy remembered that House had left his clothes up in her room and, figuring climbing the steps once wouldn't be a problem, headed up there.

She hadn't seen her room in weeks, and she missed it. Her things, her sheets, her clothes. All of it was still up stairs.

Sighing, she went into the bathroom and picked up House's clothes from the floor, rolling them into a ball under her arm and preparing to head back down.

Just as she went to turn of the lights, she caught sight of a piece of fabric hanging out of a badly-closed drawer. Sighing at his inability to tidy things, Cuddy placed his clothes on the floor by the door and headed to the dresser.

Shaking her head and smiling slightly, she began to remove her tops, one by one, folding them properly and re-placing them along the drawer. It was only when she reached the last top and lifted it out of the drawer that she realised that House's acting strange might not just have been a result of Bill's shirt.

She hadn't worn it in years, but she'd kept it just the same, folded and well-kept in her drawer. For some reason the knowledge that it was in there had always brought her some comfort as the memories it eradiated filled her senses. Now, as she stared at the 'Johns Hopkins' logo, she smiled. Because she knew that, just as it evoked memories in her that she'd kept hidden for years, it must have done the same to him and that gave her hope.

A smile still covering her face, she sighed and closed the drawer again, before picking up House's clothes, walking out the door and, cautiously, back down the stairs.

There was something strangely happy about putting his clothes into the washer after the kiss he'd given her as he left. She didn't want to be cliché, but the hormones fluttering through her system kept bringing up the idea of her and him, married, in a routine, the little baby inside her having both its mother and father.

And again, she couldn't wait for his return which, she hoped, would come soon.

Little did she know House was in no condition to return, or go home, or, really go anywhere of his own accord.

**TBC**

---------

_Still dying to see episode 21 here :D_

_Oh and yes, I am cruel to leave you there, but hey, I've got to do something to keep you coming back for more, right?_

_Oh, and that new fic I mentioned in the last chapeter will probably be up soon because I just couldn't wait :P (I do have like 10 000 words on it already ...) so yea, keep an eye out for it :D_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	33. Chapter 33

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__I is back! So here's another chapter, I realise that I was plainly evil to leave you hanging in the last chapter … but it sure was fun :P (Muahahaha) … anyway, here's the next chapter … a little nicer? No? well, I'll let you be the judges of that :P_

_Once again, thank you for your reviews, they really keep me going :D Especially now that my _real_ IB exams are a mere two weeks away *shivers* …_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

House was vaguely aware of what was happening. He felt the pain in his head, neck and back, he tried to get up but nothing seemed to be responding, he tried to keep his eyes open but the blurred figures seemed intent in becoming darker and darker.

And then he blacked out.

* * *

"Chase" Cameron called the Australian doctor from the ER

"_Yea_?"

"You need to come in, we have an MVA coming in, EMT's say the guy's in pretty bad shape, I thought we'd better have a surgeon present" explained Cameron as the sounds from the approaching ambulance filled the ER

"_Isn't Benton there?_" he asked, obviously having been woken up

"He's doing a valve replacement, he'll be busy all night" she replied as the ambulance pulled up outside and two nurses rushed towards the door "look, I have to go, just hurry"

Grabbing a pair of gloves from the supply shelf and running after the nurses, Cameron prepared herself for whatever she had to do to keep her patient alive.

But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw as the door opened and the stretcher was rushed out.

"House?!" she cried looking at her ex-boss.

His neck was covered by a neck brace, his jacket was pulled open and the shirt he had on underneath was ripped to pieces, whether by the EMT's or by the accident she couldn't tell, his right leg was, from the knee to the ankle, bleeding through the jagged tares in his skin and his right shoulder seemed to be broken.

"What happened?" she asked as she walked next to the stretcher into one of the trauma rooms.

"Land Rover jeep vs Motorcycle" replied one of the paramedics

"Oh God …" whispered Cameron as they got ready to move House onto the ER bed.

"One, two …" on three, they all pulled House's body off the stretcher and placed him, as softly as possible on the bed.

After rattling off everything they had given the doctor, the paramedics made their exit, back into the streets as Cameron, two stunned nurses and, now another ER doctor began their work on House.

"I want full body x-rays, CBC, CHEM-7, tox-screen and lets get a CT of his head" said Cameron as the nurses nodded and rushed around getting the necessary materials "and someone page Dr. Wilson!"

* * *

Having arrived home five minutes earlier, Wilson was lounged on his couch, resting his back from the day of carpentering, when his pager went off.

Sighing, he reached his arm over his head, remaining in his laid back position, and read the screen.

Shaking his head and wondering when people were going to understand that he actually enjoyed his days off, he reached, again over his head, for his cell phone and dialled the extension for the ER.

"_Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, ER_" came a female voice from the other side

"Yes, this is Dr. Wilson, I just received an urgent page"

"_Just a minute please_"

For a few seconds, Wilson just laid there staring at the ceiling until, finally, from the other end of the phone, he heard someone running and someone pick up the receiver.

"_Wilson_?" came Cameron's voice from the other end.

"Cameron? What is it?" he asked, recognizing, immediately, the fear in her voice.

"_House …_"

The rest of the explanation was pretty much a blur as Wilson sat up on the couch and stared ahead of him, Cameron's words entering his brain but making no sense.

He'd just been with House, at Cuddy's, how could he be at the hospital?

"I'll be right there" he heard himself say into the phone before springing from the couch and running out the door.

* * *

As he drove through the streets to the hospital, Wilson's mind couldn't help but turn to Cuddy. She probably didn't know yet. No, she definitely didn't know yet. If she did, she'd have called him in a panic, surely.

Which meant the hospital had actually respected the fact that she wasn't allowed to work. But it also meant that he, Wilson, would have to be the one to break it to her. And the though weighed in his brain. Cuddy loved House, she was carrying his baby, a baby who was part of a high-risk pregnancy. Finding out that Greg was injured and in hospital would do nothing good for her, and especially not for the baby.

So, resisting the urge to call her right away, Wilson decided to wait until he knew the extent of his friend's injuries. He might be fine. He might just need a little patching up, maybe a few stitches here and there, but he might be fine. Unfortunately, Wilson knew, the odds of that were very slim.

* * *

"Where is he?" he asked the nurse at the desk as he entered the ER, in response he only got a pointed finger.

Rushing past beds of teenage drunks, injured kids and sick old people, he finally entered the trauma room where his friend's unmistakable sneakers were being placed in a plastic bag.

"Cameron!"

"Wilson, thank God" she sighed calling him into the room where she and, now, Chase were examining the x-rays.

"How is he?" asked Wilson looking at House as he passed him.

The diagnostician was in a very bad state. His leg had several stitches on it and two nurses were wrapping it in bandages, he had a ventilator tube sticking out of his mouth, keeping him breathing, his eyes were closed, one side of his face was a bloody mess and one shoulder was, obviously, broken.

"He's not breathing on his own, his pupils are equal and reactive, the only drugs in his system are Vicodin and we have to wait a while longer to make sure their effect wears off before taking him into surgery to fix his shoulder" explained Cameron as she shifted towards the CT scans.

"That doesn't look good" said Chase as he examined the image of House's brain "quite a bit of swelling there" he pointed to the area of the occipital lobe

"That's probably why he's not breathing" added Wilson pointing too "the swelling is probably compressing the medulla"

Nodding, Cameron replied "I'll page Foreman, we need to relieve the pressure before he gets permanent brain damage"

"If he hasn't got any yet" added Chase turning back to his ex-boss and, seeing that the nurses had finished their job of patching up his cuts and bruises, signalled them to start wheeling him to the OR "I'll be up in the OR, I say we take care of his brain before anything else"

At that Cameron nodded but, before anything else could happen, Wilson turned back to them

"Wait!"

"What is it?" asked Cameron moving towards him as he now examined one of the x-rays

"His neck" he pointed "that disk looks a little dislocated, don't you think?"

"Nice catch" said Chase who had just joined the two

Sighing, Wilson turned back to his friend "Looks like Foreman will have to start with the neck before anything else. You can't risk doing anything else with that dislocated, he could be paralysed if something goes wrong"

Nodding, Chase clapped the oncologist on the back and said "don't worry, he'll be fine" before motioning for the nurses to start going again and following them out.

"What exactly happened?" asked Wilson still looking out the doors

"Apparently, he was turning a corner when a jeep appeared out of nowhere and caused him to swerve. The bike slipped under him and he was projected onto the pavement along his right side. He's got cuts and bruises all up his leg, torso, arm and face" she sighed

Closing his eyes and hanging his head, Wilson rubbed his eyes "what do you think?" he asked her

Looking at him, Cameron sighed "Foreman will restore the disk, drill a hole to relieve the pressure, Chase will fix his arm and, barring any brain damage, he should be fine …"

"You think he'll be fine?" asked Wilson looking at the side of her face

Looking at her shoes for a minute, Cameron sighed again "I hope he will"

**TBC**

* * *

_Dying to see the next episode! PARTY TIME! :P  
Oh! And have any of you seen Susan Boyle from 'Britain's got Talent' singing? If you haven't, I highly recommend you do. She is amazing!_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	34. Chapter 34

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Ok, so here I am, again … and also late, again. I apologise (again) for the wait, but I've just been drowning in work for weeks and am getting closer and closer to the exams so am kind of panicking. So, yes, this chapter is a little short, and I apologise, but I wanted to write (because I needed a distraction from all the biology), but didn't have time too write MUCH more._

_Even though it's shorter, I hope you still like it, I do, and I hope you keep reviewing as faithfully as you have (because it really keeps me happy :D)_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

For the first four hours of surgery, Wilson sat in the waiting room with Cameron, both silently waiting for news, neither praying, knowing House would call them idiots for it.

"Someone should tell Cuddy" said Cameron after a bit "they're friends, right?"

"Yea" was all Wilson replied, his eyes focused on the wall ahead of him.

He'd been thinking about it, and he'd more or less figured out what to do. He'd wait until the toughest part was over, make sure his brain swelling would go down and his neck would be fine, and he'd go to Cuddy's during the shoulder operation. He'd explain the basics to her, remind her to stay calm and do his best to keep her at home. Though he was sure that would be close to impossible.

"Wilson?" called Cameron, unsure if he'd actually heard her

"Hm?" he asked looking at her

"Cuddy? What do you think? Should I call …"

"Once he's out of the woods, I'll go over and tell her. There's to point getting her anxious now" he replied going back to staring at the double doors that led to the OR.

* * *

"Cameron?" called Chase from the doorway as he spotted her half asleep on the couch

"Yea?" she asked sitting back up

"Surgery's over"

For a few seconds, they just stared at each other, Cameron fearing the worst, and he, like any good surgeon, leaving those suspenseful moments in the air.

"And?!" she asked

"Foreman fixed his neck, he'll have to wear a brace for a while, but should be fine. And the swelling seems to be going down, though not by much yet. We've decided to wait a bit to start the other surgery, make sure he's ready for another dose of anaesthesia" explained Chase as he walked towards her.

"Oh, thank God!" she cried hugging him

Hugging back and smiling, Chase asked "where's Wilson?"

"Oh, he went to get some coffee … I'll go tell him, you go check on House" she added pulling away from the hug and smiling.

* * *

Standing outside Cuddy's door, Wilson sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. It was the middle of the night, he was tired and scared, she would surely be asleep, and this was going to be very hard. But he knew he had to tell her before someone called her from the Hospital, before she found out while she was alone and panicked.

Knocking on the door, he looked at it, in his head, running through all the things he needed to say and how he should say them.

* * *

Hearing the faint knocking noise coming from the doorway, Cuddy slowly sat up in bed, the baby immediately starting to kick as her heart rate sped up.

She knew there were only a few possibilities as to who would be at her door at such an hour, and all of them caused her heart to beat faster. The first possibility was that it was House, coming back to be with her as she wanted him to, the second was that it was Wilson, although Wilson would only really be there, at that time of night, if something bad had happened and, thirdly, there was the chance that it was someone else, someone, as House might awkwardly say, "bad".

Getting up and wrapping her robe around her as best she could, Cuddy moved slowly towards the door, her curiosity and anxiousness growing with every step.

Looking through the eye-hole, she saw Wilson standing there, his tie pulled to one side, his shirt a wrinkled mess. Apparently, something was up.

"Wilson?" she asked pulling on the sides of the robe as the cold air from outside hit her sleeping-gown covered body.

"Can I come in?" he asked

Nodding, Cuddy stepped aside and watched as he walked in and towards the living room.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him as she moved away from the now-closed door.

Looking at her, Wilson motioned for her to take a seat on the couch, for a moment remembering how, just the day before, he'd seen her and House sitting on it.

"What is it?" she asked taking a seat

Sighing, Wilson slumped down into a chair and, after running a hand across his face, looked at her.

"Wilson?"

Nodding, he started "Cuddy … I … please try to stay calm" he said, as he did, realising that that sentence was probably just going to make her more anxious

"Wilson, please …" she said, her voice doing nothing to mask the fear behind it.

"Ok, House … he, uh, got into an accident …"

"Accident?!" asked Cuddy suddenly sitting up and looking nothing short of panicked

Wilson merely nodded "Yes, he had a bike crash when he was on his way home" as Cuddy closed her eyes to keep the tears away and fell back onto the couch cushions, he continued "he was taken to the ER and was taken into surgery a few hours ago …"

"How … how is he?" Cuddy asked, almost scared of what the answer might be

Smiling softly, Wilson exhaled "He's stable. Foreman operated on his neck and reset a dislocated disk, then he drilled a hole to relieve the pressure the swelling was causing on his brain and, so far, things seem to be going well. When I left, he was still on a ventilator as he was going to be taken into surgery again to fix his broken shoulder, but, as the swelling goes down, there should be no permanent damage …"

"Should?!"

"Cuddy" Wilson shook his head "you know as well as I do that these things aren't really predictable. There was some serious swelling and, while the disk was reset, we won't know if there was any damage done until he wakes up …"

Cuddy seemed to want to say something, but her hormone-charged body prevented her from doing so and, placing both hands on her stomach, she began to cry.

It was heart wrenching for Wilson to watch, because he too wanted to cry. His best friend was lying somewhere in the hospital, unconscious, injured and, on top of it all, if something worse were to happen, if his condition worsened, he'd never get to tell Cuddy everything Wilson knew he felt, he'd never get to see his kid.

So, shifting from his chair to the couch, Wilson took a seat next to Cuddy and let her burry her head in his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her and his eyes closed. He understood her fear, because if he was scared to death of losing his best friend, he could only imagine how she might feel at the thought of losing the man she loved whose child she was carrying.

**TBC**

* * *

_So yea, short but, hopefully, emotional and enjoyable. Please do tell me what you think, and I'll do my best to update ASAP. Until then, we all have "A House Divided" to look forwards to :D_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	35. Chapter 35

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Yay, I'm back … ish. So, here's a new chapter (thanks to Huddislove for the message on fanpop :P I needed a little push to write more :D) And thanks to all the rest of you who have been faithfully reading and reviewing. Now, the way I figure it, there are still quite a few more chapters to come on this … not sure how many … but possibly more than I had originally anticipated. Since I love this story, that makes _me_ happy, hope it does you too :D Also, thanks to those of you who are also reading and reviewing 'Stand', I'm really happy people are liking that one too._

_So, to help pass the time until Monday's amazing Huddyness, I hope you enjoy this chapter and keep me posted :D_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

In the OR, Chase was wrist deep in House's shoulder. So far, things were going well. His heart rate was stable, his neck was being kept in place by as many things as they could use to do so, and, if all continued to go as it was, his shoulder should be fixed in less than an hour.

That would be ideal.

But very little about the situation was ideal.

And the quickly increasing 'beeps' coming from one of the monitors told Chase that the situation was going to continue to be as far from 'ideal' as ever.

"Shit" he cursed as the beeps got dangerously close to one another and the nurses yelled at him about lower BP's and 'crashing'

"Paddles" he commanded pulling his hands out of his ex-boss' shoulder and doing his best to shock him.

Normally, shocking an unconscious patient would have had no difficulty to it whatsoever, but House's neck couldn't be moved, and the position he was in right now wasn't exactly the most practical for shocking.

Still, the skilled internist managed. At first, there was nothing but a continued beep. So he shocked him again and …

There it was.

A zigzagging heart line. Just the kind of thing a surgeon likes to see.

"He's back" proclaimed a short nurse who was standing by the monitors.

"Very well people" sighed Chase "let's keep going before he crashes on us again"

And with that, he returned to the incision he'd made on House's shoulder and restarted the process of reattaching ligaments to their respective bones and bone pieces to their respective puzzle-like complimentary parts.

* * *

Watching from the observation room above, Cameron sighed of relief when Chase handed the paddles back to the nurse and retook the scalpel.

It wasn't that she loved House. It wasn't even that she still felt anything for him. But she did admire him. She knew what an asset he was to the hospital and the medical world. She knew how much losing him would impact Wilson, Cuddy, even Chase and Foreman. Because, no matter how much those two insulted the man and argued with him, she knew that, at least Chase, regarded him as something to live up to, something to achieve. Maybe not the snarky-ness or the arrogance. But definitely the skill and the intelligence.

Pulling out her phone, she quickly called Wilson who had begged to be kept updated.

* * *

At Cuddy's home, Wilson was currently sitting on Lisa's couch as he had been when he'd arrived. Except now, he was holding her as she slept. She'd cried for a long while, scared of losing House, scared of never having the chance to tell him, well, everything. Now she was fast asleep.

Hearing his phone vibrate, he shifted slightly, managing to reach into his trouser pocket for the vibrating object.

"Hello?" he answered it in a whisper

"_Wilson?_" replied Cameron's voice

"Cameron, what's wrong?" he asked her, forgetting who was currently curled into his side and suddenly being faced with her very scared eyes.

"_House crashed during surgery_"

"He what?!" asked Wilson, cursing himself, knowing he was doing nothing to calm Cuddy's nerves

"_He's fine now and it shouldn't be too long before his shoulder's fixed, but he crashed and had to be shocked twice. You asked to be kept in the loop so …_"

"No, yes, thank you. Well, keep me posted" he replied, quickly closing the phone and turning to Cuddy who was now sitting up and looking terrified.

She knew that "keep me posted" meant House was still alive, after all, there was really nothing to update anyone on once someone was dead. But still, her nerves refused to calm until she heard Wilson say it.

Looking at Wilson, she waited for him to explain.

"He crashed during surgery. They shocked him back and Cameron says Chase should be done in a short while"

"How is he?" she asked, a part of her dreading the answer

"He's stable for now" he nodded as she sighed and sunk back into his shoulder.

There were a few moments of silence as they just sat there, each silently hoping House would be his stubborn self one last time and pull through it all.

"Wilson?" Cuddy broke the silence looking up at her friend

"Yea?" he asked, unsure what the determined look in her eyes meant

"I want to go see him" she replied sitting up and interrupting him before he even opened his mouth "you can't make me stay here, Wilson. You know as well as I do that I'll just stress and _that_ won't be good for the baby"

Wilson was silent for a bit "Well … you really shouldn't Lisa …"

"James! Please" she had tears in her eyes again.

He sighed. "Lisa …" but he couldn't say no to that look, besides, he knew as well as anyone that she was right. Staying there now would be much worse for the baby than if he took her there.

"Ok"

She smiled and was about to thank him when he continued "_but_ … you're going to sleep now, and relax. I'll stay here on the couch. In the morning, I'll take you in for a bit. While you're there, you will go and see Dr. Bates and get checked out … those are the terms"

Smiling, she nodded "ok, I'll go to sleep … but James, if _anything_ happens … please wake me?"

Nodding, he agreed.

* * *

Three hours later, House was in the ICU. He was still on a ventilator, he was about 30 minutes from the anaesthesia wearing off and he was still stable. His whole right arm was in a cast, the sheet over him was covering up the lengths of bandages wrapped around his leg and torso. He had several cuts on his face, two of them stitched closed and his brain was still swollen. There would be no knowing if he had brain damage until he woke up and, as the minutes ticked away and Chase checked in on him, there was no telling when that would be.

"How's he doing?" whispered Cameron moving to stand next to Chase who was reading House's file

"Stable. But that's it …" he replied placing the chart back on the end of the bed and moving out of the ICU with Cameron

"You think he's going to be ok?" she asked him

Raising his eyebrows and inhaling, Chase looked through the windows to the ICU "if the swelling goes down … he should be … unless we missed something" he added, hoping to God they hadn't.

* * *

The next morning, rather, afternoon, Wilson woke Cuddy. He had thought of going in at 10 am. But after checking in with Cameron and finding that things were still stable, he decided to let Cuddy sleep as long as she wanted. But when it got to 12 pm, he figured it was time to feed the pregnant lady before the unconscious father woke up on purpose to beat him up.

"Cuddy?" he whispered as he shook her arm a little

"Hmm?" she hummed as reality came flooding back to her

"Want some lunch?" he asked

Taking her nod into her pillow as a yes, Wilson moved back towards the kitchen to fix them both something to eat and left her to revel in those last few moments of sleep.

As he cooked, he thought.

Cuddy was 6 and a half months pregnant with House's baby. Sure, he'd known that for quite a while, but it still managed to get to him. For _months_, House had known, and he hadn't said anything, he had resisted. And now. Now that it was becoming increasingly evident that he might just do something or say something, this happened.

It was sad, really. And in a way, very typically _them_. Nothing about House's relationship with Cuddy had ever been easy, and as their best friend, he was sure it would never be. But even he was starting think this was ridiculous.

If House didn't spring, or 'limp', might be the more appropriate term, from that bed in a timely manner and tell Cuddy how much he loved her, Wilson was sure he, himself, would hurt House.

And it was smiling about the thought of House springing out of anything that Cuddy found Wilson.

"What are you doing here?" he asked turning around to look at her "I was going to call you when lunch was ready"

"I smelt food" she said shrugging and smiling slightly as she sunk into one of the kitchen chairs.

Smiling as he turned back to the frying pan in front of him, Wilson spoke "well, I had thought, once you were well fed, we could drop by the hospital …"

He could sense her smiling from behind him.

"Wilson?" she called looking up at him as her left hand played with some crumbs she'd just found on the table-top

"Yes?" he asked looking over his shoulder at her again

"Thank you" she smiled "you know, for being here. For caring"

Turning the stove off and carrying the frying pan and a couple of plates onto the table, he smiled back at her and, as he began to place the food on the plates, replied with a nod "you're welcome, Cuddy"

For a few minutes they just sat there and ate in silence.

"I was thinking about names. Last night. When I couldn't fall asleep?" she started looking up at him as she brought the fork to her mouth again

"Anything good?" he asked

"Well, I just thought … I might just be because of what's happening now but … if it's a boy … I want to have 'Gregory' in there, you know …" she looked back down at her plate as Wilson watched her face

"He'd never tell you. But I'm sure it'd mean the world to him" he smiled

And Wilson was right. Because no matter how much House tried to hide his feelings, he felt a lot more for the baby growing inside Cuddy's womb than he let people see. And to have that baby be officially linked to him. To have that baby have his name. It would not only make him feel secretly happy, it just might bring him closer to the baby and, as a result to Cuddy.

"And if it's a girl?" he asked

Shaking her head, Cuddy swallowed the food she had in her mouth and replied "I still don't know"

**TBC**

* * *

_Ok, well, to be fair, Cuddy might not know ... but IIII do :D __Hopefully you enjoyed that … A little bit of suspense, a little bit of drama and a little bit of happiness in there too … Hope it at very least helps pass the time until the AMAZING episode that awaits us next Monday :D_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	36. Chapter 36

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Again, a MAJOR sorry for the wait … but really, these exams are killing me … and then I've spent the past three days in total and complete shock at the finale … so my writing has been pretty non existent until today. And the reason why you get a chapter today, again, is huddyislove (Aka Silkyway) who, once again, messaged me to get a move on. So, to her, a major thanks :)_

_Also, thank you so much for the reviews (and to those who are also following 'Stand', a double thanks), those comments have really been the highlights of these past weeks of study … :D_A fetus (or foetus or fœtus) is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate, after the embryonic stage and before birth."

Oh, and I got another review with someone telling me that 'foetus' is actually spelt 'fetus' … just to clear that up, again, the word can be spelt 'fetus' or 'foetus' as stated by my dictionary (which I couldn't be bothered to quote) and Wikipedia: "

_Sorry, but it just gets to me that people tell me I'm wrong without checking things … ANYWAY, that aside, I'm absolutely loving this fic and the positive response its getting, and I hope you continue to like it …_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

Standing by House's bed, Chase checked through his patient file again. Heart rate, normal. Blood pressure, normal. O2 sats, normal. Yet he still hadn't awoken. He should have been up three hours earlier, but he still hadn't stirred. And without him waking up, they couldn't take him off the ventilator, they didn't know if he'd breath on his own.

The latest MRI still showed substantial swelling in his brain and, no matter what they gave him, the swelling seemed intent on not going down.

"How is he?" asked Thirteen as she and Taub walked into the room; with House injured, they had no patients to see.

"Vitals all check out but he's still not waking up" Chase shook his head flipping another page on the chart and double checking everything.

"Any ideas why he hasn't?" asked Taub looking at all the monitors.

Again, Chase shook his head "he's just in a coma. It's perfectly plausible, with everything that has happened to him over the years, that the head trauma he sustained would put him into a coma …" he sighed "I've ordered another series of tests, if everything checks out, then I'm afraid that's why he's out of it …"

Thirteen nodded "and if that's why he's out of it, there isn't really anything we can do …"

Looking up at her, Taub looked back down at his feet.

"Chase?" came a voice from the ICU doors

As all three doctors turned to face the voice, they found themselves face to face with Wilson and, much to their surprise, a very pregnant Cuddy.

"Dr. Cuddy!" exclaimed Chase "what are you doing here, you're …"

But, having spotted House, Lisa merely nodded at the Australian surgeon.

The ride over to the hospital had been very silent. Wilson had tried to start a conversation several times, but she was tuned out. Her thoughts focused only on what awaited her at the hospital.

Normally, she loved going to the hospital. It was her's, in a manner of speaking. She felt safe there, in control. But now, as Wilson drove down the familiar streets, she dreaded arriving there.

And still, having thought it all out in the car, and knowing what awaited her, she felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw him lying there, motionless, his eyes closed, the only sign of life coming from the many monitors he was attached to.

Walking to his bedside, Lisa felt Wilson's arm on hers as he walked next to her.

She knew it was meant to be a comforting gesture, but nothing could comfort her as she stood by his bed with her hand on the mattress next to where he lay.

"He's going to be ok, Cuddy" whispered Wilson squeezing her arm a little "he'll pull through this"

Cuddy wanted to agree, she wanted to nod and smile and just agree, but she couldn't. She saw him lying there, his face a mess of cuts and stitches, his arm in a cast, tubes sticking out of him, and god knows what else, and all she could think was that she was going to loose him.

Looking around the ICU, she saw all its other inhabitants, two old men, both well into their 80's, maybe even 90's, probably post ops, one young girl who was talking to an older woman, presumably her mother, and one old lady sitting up against her pillows, coughing endlessly.

And even though she knew he needed the help, he just didn't fit in to that scenario. She couldn't see him like that. No matter what he looked like, how hurt he was, she still expected him to just get up and yell at them all for standing around doing nothing. But he wouldn't.

And as that realisation hit her, she felt the tears start to fall. Maybe it was the hormones making her overly pessimistic, but the truth was that, in that moment, she didn't believe he'd ever wake up, she felt she'd lost him, for good. And the guilt of never telling him, of … it ate at her insides as his child's kicks joined into the discomfort.

"Lisa?" asked Wilson moving his hand to her back "do you want to go outside, sit down for a bit?" he asked.

But she merely shook her head. No. She did not want to leave House's side. She'd done that enough times and for very stupid reasons. She wasn't going to abandon him now, not when she might not get to see him alive again.

"Do you want us to leave?" he asked, trying to decide what to do.

Surprisingly, or, perhaps, not so, Cuddy nodded.

Smiling gently, Wilson pulled a chair up to House's bedside and gestured for Cuddy to sit.

"Are you sure?" he asked looking from her to his best friend's unconscious body, again Cuddy nodded "alright" Wilson agreed "I'll be outside, alright? Call me if you need anything"

With that and one last reassuring squeeze of the shoulder, he was gone. Motioning with his head for the other three doctors to accompany him, they left House and Cuddy together again.

And again, the irony wasn't lost on Wilson, whenever those two were together of their own accord, someone, usually him, interrupted, when they were alone and everyone agreed to leave them alone, something else stood in their way.

At first, Cuddy just sat there, her hands, as best she could, resting on her knees, silent tears dripping down her face onto her stomach. But then she looked up at his face and was surprised to feel a smile creep up on her.

She knew House didn't believe in it. He didn't believe patients in comas could hear or experience what other people were saying around them, he would claim that any who did were not in a coma, they were just 'locked in'. Even she didn't know if she believed it. But, even though House would call her an idiot for trying, she was going to. She had to.

"You idiot" were the first words that came to mind. She wasn't entirely sure why, I mean, there were many things she wanted to call him an idiot for, not the least of which was leaving her House the previous night. But this was bigger than that, this didn't refer to any one particular action or comment. He was just an idiot. It wasn't an insult or an accusation, he just was. She could have said 'you jerk' and meant the same thing. But the truth was that, no matter how much of an idiot he was, no matter how much of a jerk he was or how badly he acted, she loved him with all her heart, she even loved him with the _two_ hearts residing in her body at that particular moment.

"Don't do this" she pleaded, still looking up at his expressionless face. There were a lot of things he could do that she could live with, but she couldn't live with this, leaving her now, not fighting to come back, that she couldn't live with. She needed him to fight.

Granted, there was the chance that he wasn't hearing a single word she was saying and, therefore didn't know that he had to fight, that she wanted him to fight. But on the off chance that he could hear her, that he could understand what she was asking, she had to try.

"You can't leave me here, House. You can't leave, _us_" she was sobbing now, quietly, but violently. Her hand reached out to grab his and she squeezed it.

"You have to wake up, Greg …" she stood up to look at him better "you _have_ to!" she brought his hand to her mouth and cried against it.

"Please, just … I, I need your, your comments and your abrasiveness and your idiocy and … I need _you_, Greg …" She kissed his knuckles and lowered his hand back to the mattress, her's still in his.

"You have to, because …" she pondered. If he _did_ hear her, then she'd be putting herself in a tough position, but then again, he might not and, even if he did, he needed to hear it, he needed to know "… you're going to be a dad, House …" she smiled through the tears which fell faster as his face remained unchanged "you're, you're going to be a father, and, and I can't do it alone …" she put his hand on her stomach, closing her eyes as the baby kicked his hand "he or she needs you, Greg …"

* * *

From his place standing outside the ICU doors, Wilson closed his eyes and dropped his head as he watched the scene in front of him.

Through the chequered glass, he could see Cuddy's body shaking with sobs, her hand holding House's to her stomach. It was heart wrenching, painful, even.

He had never been one to stick to those kinds of rules, but he was a man and he wasn't going to cry. That didn't mean he didn't want to, it didn't mean he didn't wish with all his being that House would wake up, that his best friend and that baby's father would wake up and grace them all with his irreverent, abrasive personality again … he would give anything to make that happen and, he knew, so would Cuddy …

"_Cuddy!_" in a fraction of a second, barely long enough for the reflex to travel through his body, he was running across the white tiled floor of the ICU towards where Cuddy was slowly, but surely, losing her balance, hoping to God she'd fall on the chair and not the floor.

**TBC**

* * *

_I hope that helped with any lingering shock from Monday's episode (writing it helped me) …_

_***SPOILERS FOR SEASON 5 FINALE ***_

_Also, while I was angry at the finale, after further thought, I have decided that they actually went the right way with it … I love huddy and want it to happen, but this way, they opened a whole lot of other paths to explore between those two. (Ya know, how will House react to slowly understanding why he hallucinated that, how will Cuddy react to not having him around, what will it be like when he goes back to the hospital, how will he explain to her want he said to everyone in the lobby …) Yep, I'm staying positive :D_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	37. Chapter 37

_**

* * *

**_

Disclaimer:

_ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Ok … I know the apologies are probably getting old now (I apologise for that too) but RL has REALLY not been helping recently. I finished my IB exams last week and then, after a day out with friends, had Graduation, Prom and all the after parties that entails during the weekend … so updating has been basically impossible. HOWEVER, now that that hell is all over and I am officially a High School graduate (yay!), I will have more time for my fics and hope to give you more of this soon :D … that said, I do still have one exam to go and will therefore still need to study … *sigh*_

_Ok, now the apology is over, it's_ _time to thank you ALL for your reviews which kept me alive during the torturous exam period, I can't begin to express how much your comments are appreciated :D *hugs* … please keep them coming as I love both the feedback and your ideas. (Oh the fun I have as I read your ideas and laugh "you have no idea how right you are" or "nice idea, but I'm too evil to give you that just yet" …) :P_

_Oh and, of course, once again, thank you to silkyway and huddyrules for your encouragement ... nothing tells me "go write ... now!" as much as seeing an e-mail reading "you have recieved a message of Fanpop" and then reading your words of encouragement ... Thanks ;)_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"I need a gurney in here!" shouted Wilson kneeling beside Cuddy who was, her eyes half open but unfocused lying on the white tiled floor where she'd collapsed moments earlier.

"What happened?" asked Taub rushing to Wilson's side as Chase and Thirteen rushed in with a gurney and two nurses.

"I have no idea …" Wilson shook his head as he helped the other doctors tend to Cuddy.

* * *

"Cuddy?" she heard Wilson's voice as she opened her eyes. She wasn't completely sure where she was or what had happened, but she was aware that she was in a lying position and that her back was aching.

"James?" she replied attempting to sit up but feeling a sharp pain rise up her back stopping her from moving any further.

Suddenly recalling the moments leading up to the gap in her memory, Cuddy's hand instinctively shot up to her stomach.

"Lisa?" Wilson started checking her heart monitor as it beeped faster "Lisa, you need to stay calm, ok?" he asked her "you were under a lot of stress in the ICU and you had a panic attack. The baby's oxygen levels fell because of that, it went into distress and you fainted" he explained taking her hand as she looked up at him with the most frightened look he'd ever seen her wear.

"Is … is it …" she asked not wanting to know the answer

With a weak smile, Wilson squeezed her hand lightly "Dr. Bates came to check on you an hour ago, so far your …" he stopped himself, just because he now knew what the House baby would be, there was no need to tell Cuddy "baby is doing much better, the heart rate is at normal, and all the ultrasounds look good" he explained as Cuddy sighed and allowed her head to sink back into her pillows.

"You're going to have to stay here on _strict_" he emphasised the word "bed rest for at least a few weeks" the oncologist continued as Cuddy's face fell "and if you're allowed to go home before the baby's born, it'll be strict bed rest there too" he finished

Sighing, Cuddy nodded, bed rest wasn't something she particularly looked forwards to, but at least the baby was ok.

"Uh, how's House?" she asked after a few seconds of silence.

"The same" replied Wilson with another weak smile. It had been an hour since Cuddy had collapsed at House's bed side and the diagnostician was still just as out of it as he had been before "Chase is taking him up for another scan in about half an hour to check on his brain swelling and, hopefully, we'll know something more by then"

"Do you think …" Cuddy sighed feeling stupid "… do you think people in comas can hear?" she asked

Wilson inhaled deeply and stood a little straighter "I'd like to think they can" he replied, knowing it didn't really answer her question

"But do you …"

"I honestly don't know, Lisa" he replied with a sigh "maybe they do, maybe he did hear you … God knows he _should_ have heard you" he added as a little side note

"He'd call us idiots for sitting here having this conversation" she replied with a smile as her little baby woke up and kicked her side

Smiling, Wilson nodded "that he most definitely would"

* * *

An hour later, after Dr. Bates had insisted Cuddy get some sleep, Wilson had finally left her side and headed to the ICU to check on House who had already returned from his scan.

"How's he doing?" Wilson asked Cameron and Chase who were huddled around some of the scans, examining them with concentrated faces.

"Oh, Wilson" smiled Chase turning over his shoulder "we got new scans, the swelling _is_ going down, slowly, but surely" he smiled as he pointed to the spot which, Wilson recognized, had been much more swollen the previous night.

"So, he should be waking up soon …"

Chase nodded "he should …"

"Do you have any idea what it might be if it's not just the swelling?" asked Wilson examining the scans himself

Chase shook his head "as I said, it is possible that his Vicodin addiction, his multiple accidents and injuries, his coma last year, all of that could just have weakened him … and if that's the case, we'll just have to wait …"

Wilson knew all this, of course, yet it still hurt him. After he'd stood behind Dr. Bates during the ultrasound and gotten to know more about the House/Cuddy baby, everything had become more real. There was a kid out there who needed House, not an "it", the baby now had a sex, to Wilson and the doctor anyway, it was real …

Wilson sighed and Chase clapped him on the back.

"How's Cuddy?" the younger doctor asked

Wilson smiled "she's doing better, the baby seems to be out of danger. She's on total bed rest for at least three weeks, but things seem to be holding up …"

"Good" smiled Cameron turning off the light behind the scans and joining the other two doctors

* * *

The next two weeks passed surprisingly slowly.

Cuddy, imprisoned in her bed did nothing all day if not sleep, watch TV, beg people to allow her to work and ask about House. She was now into her seventh month of pregnancy, seven and a week, to be precise, and was feeling, every day, more confident that the little life within her would make it out some day.

She had even, though she'd never admit it, began to understand House's fascination with mindless soap operas; there was something strangely comforting about knowing other people's lives were even more screwed up than hers, granted, they were fictional people, but people none the less.

Wilson too was feeling like the weeks would just not end. His already monotonous days were made more so by the routine he'd fallen into. Arrive at hospital, morning consults, lunch, check on Cuddy, check on House, three clinic hours, afternoon consults, home. Sleep and repeat.

He hated the waiting, the not knowing whether House was alright, whether he'd have to walk into Cuddy's room one day only to give her the news that would throw her over the edge and complicate her pregnancy even further.

Every night, his phone rested on his night stand and he prayed to God he wouldn't get a call. At least not any that didn't have the words "he woke up" in them

* * *

.It wasn't until the end of the third week of Cuddy's hospital stay that such a midnight call came.

Waking in a sleepy haze, Wilson registered the vibrating sound of his phone. His heart racing, his mace expressionless, he'd picked up the phone and waited for whoever was on the other side to speak.

"Wilson?" it was Foreman

"Foreman?" the oncologist replied apprehensively.

"I think …" there was a pause, a short one, but one that was killing Wilson "… he moved …"

With that, Wilson felt relief like he'd never felt wash over him. That was good. That was very, _very_ good.

"I'm on my way" he replied and promptly clicked off.

Whether the hours that followed would bring bad or good news, he knew not, but at that moment, Wilson couldn't really care less. House was alive.

**TBC**

* * *

_I hope you liked it. I'm not usually a fan of the "three weeks later" time skips … but while I love the House-in-a-coma-and-Cuddy-on-bed-rest story line (and believe me, I really do like it) … I sort of sat here thinking "Oh crap" … because, ya know, you can't really have a Huddy fanfic without AT LEAST one of the two … so yea … I'm moving forwards with it … hope you don't mind, and I promise to bring more 'Huddyness' in in as timely a manner as the story will permit :D_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	38. Chapter 38

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Ok, so I know it's been a while, and I'm really sorry … but I've spent the past two weeks teaching myself Physics (which I haven't studied for two years and hate with a passion) for my university entry exam this Saturday and have been too focused to be able to write … sorry._

_Again, you owe Silkyway a thank you for this chapter because her messages make me feel so guilty I end up having to choice but to post :P Silkyway, I know you said you need a distraction from your work, I hope this works :D_

_Oh, and thank you to housemd83 for the info you gave me on coma patients. I can handle little bits of Biology or small, basic, medical facts, but I do need all the help I can get when it comes to the medical side of stories … I hope the 'adjustments' I made in this chapter to fit what you explained are ok … Thanks ;)th June … I will do my best to post this week end, either Saturday evening or Sunday, but I guess that depends on how my exam goes … if it goes well, you might get an update on Foetus, if not, then I'll be depressed and probably not feeling too creative … although it could all work the other way around … anyway, just wanted to warn you on that so that you don't sit there expecting an update soon and then get angry at me … _

_Also, I must warn you that, although I hope to post again between now and then, I will be leaving the country next Monday for my end of year trip … and won't be back until the 17_

_Have I mentioned recently that I love you all for reading this, sticking with it and reviewing? If I haven't, well, I really, REALLY do :D *hugs*_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"Foreman!" Wilson called as he approached the ICU waiting area and spotted the neurologist about to enter through the double doors.

Turning on his heels towards the voice, Foreman saw Wilson rushing down the corridor towards him.

"What happened?" he asked when he finally reached the other doctor's side

Motioning for Wilson to follow him into the ICU, Foreman began to explain.

"When Chase was checking House's vitals" he nodded to Chase who was standing next to House's many monitors, staring at his EEG "there was a sudden spike in brain waves" the two of them stopped next to House's bed and, again, Foreman nodded to Chase.

Turning from the monitors to House, Chase spoke "House, move your index finger"

After a few seconds of waiting, there it was.

"He's coming back" Chase smiled over his ex-boss to Wilson who looked as relieved as ever.

"I just got his latest scans" said Foreman holding the films up to the light "the swelling has gone down substantially and, as you saw, he seems to be coming out of it"

Nodding his head and clapping Foreman on the back, Wilson smiled again. This was good news.

"It'll probably be some hours before anything new happens" stated Chase as Wilson got ready to sit in the chair next to House's bed "don't take this the wrong way, but you look like hell. Go get some sleep; we'll page you if anything happens"

Checking his watch and reading 4:15 am, Wilson had to agree he could do with a little sleep.

Nodding, he looked around at House's monitors "I'll be in my office, I should be up by 9, but in the meantime, call me if something changes, ok?"

Foreman nodded.

Before he left, Wilson added "Oh and, don't tell Cuddy anything yet. I know this is good, but I don't want to tell her anything until we have something definite, alright?"

After the other two doctors agreed, Wilson made his way out of the ICU and towards his office, hoping that, by the time he woke up, he'd have something even better to tell Cuddy.

* * *

Five hours later and at least a little more rested, Wilson left his office and headed for Cuddy's room, wanting to check on her before House.

"You're up early" he smiled from the doorway at her

Looking up from her yoghurt container, she smiled back "breakfast is served at 8:30 … I should have a word with who ever makes these schedules" she joked

After a laugh, Wilson spoke "so, uh …" Wilson took a step into the room, noticing, under the harsh hospital lights, how tired she looked, her skin pale and her eyes surrounded by dark rings. Maybe she needed some good news sooner rather than later.

"What's happened?" she asked recognizing Wilson's 'I have something to say but don't know whether I should' face and immediately thinking the worse.

"Don't worry" he smiled at her taking a seat in the chair beside her bed "Foreman called me a few hours ago …"

"Why?"

"House is responsive again"

There was a moment of silence in which Cuddy looked unsure as to whether she should laugh or cry.

Smiling at her, Wilson continued "he moves his finger on command and the scans show that the swelling is almost gone … things are definitely looking up"

"Thank god …" she sighed closing her eyes as a smile spread on her face.

Just as Wilson was about to echo her sentiment, his pager went off.

Smiling at Cuddy, he checked the small screen and felt his heart stop for a brief moment.

"What is it?" asked Cuddy immediately noticing the change in his face

"I'm not sure" he said. It was the truth, all the screen read was 'ICU, now' "I'd better get this"

"Wilson?" she asked trying to get him to tell her more

"I'll be back"

With that, he was gone, leaving Cuddy staring after him as he disappeared down the hall in a near-run.

* * *

"What happened?!" he asked bursting into the ICU to find Chase, Foreman and Cameron huddled around House's bed.

Turning around, Chase nodded for Wilson to join them.

His heart pounding in his chest, he approached the bed only to find House, his eyes open, looking around, oddly silent due to the tube still sticking out of his throat.

"He's awake" smiled Cameron.

Lying there, unable to speak, probably unaware of how long he'd been out and definitely looking confused, House kept looking around, the look in his eyes essentially letting everyone know that he wanted that tube taken out asap.

"House, House!" called Chase until the diagnostician focused his eyes on him "blink once for yes and twice for no, ok?"

House blinked once.

"Do you know what day it is?" Foreman asked

House blinked twice

Wilson nodded, of course he'd have no clue he'd been completely out of it for 3 weeks

"Do you remember what happened?"

House didn't blinked but merely shook his head in a 'sort of' fashion.

"Do you remember leaving Cuddy's?" Wilson asked as House's eyes shot up at the name

He blinked once

"The accident?" asked Chase

He blinked once

"coming into the hospital?" asked Cameron

House blinked twice

"Do you remember anything in between?" asked Wilson, hoping the answer was yes.

This time, House frowned and, again shook his head in a 'sort of' manner.

"We're going to take you up for an MRI in a bit, check how the swelling is so that we can try and take that tube out, ok?" asked Chase placing the chart back at the foot of the bed.

House blinked once.

Once the other three doctors were gone, Wilson was alone with his best friend and, registering the fact himself, House looked up at him and attempted to communicate by motioning to the monitors around him with his left hand.

"What happened?" Wilson asked trying to understand what House was trying to say.

He nodded

"You crashed on your way home from Cuddy's, you came into the hospital with a broken shoulder, your brain was swollen, you had a dislocated disk and injuries up and down your whole right hand side"

Immediately, House's hand shot to his thigh as he recalled what had distracted him just before the accident; her, Cuddy, her smell.

Again, he looked at Wilson questioningly.

"What?"

House made a curve motion with his hand, obviously attempting to describe Cuddy.

"Cuddy?"

House blinked once

"She, uh … I brought her in the morning after you crashed …" Wilson looked at his friend only to see him frowning back, obviously not too happy that Cuddy, who was supposed to be on 'bed rest', had been walking around "she got, uh … upset" Wilson continued at House's eyes suffered one of their famous changes when a glimmer of emotion crept behind them "she collapsed and has been on strict bed rest here, at the hospital, for the past 3 weeks"

House's look was somewhere between angry, concerned and anxious. Wilson hadn't said anything about the baby, was it ok? Had there been any complications?

Again, he raised his eyebrows urging Wilson on.

"Oh, your …" again he stopped himself with a small smile "baby, oh, er, foetus, is doing great now. It was in a little bit of distress for a while, but Bates took care of it an everything seems fine …"

If House hadn't had a tube sticking out of his trachea, Wilson would have sworn that he'd seen him sigh of relief.

"Sorry to interrupt" came the Australian doctor's voice as he joined them by the bed "we have to get you that scan …"

Nodding, Wilson took a step back from the bed as two nurses arrived to take House up.

"If this scan shows an improvement on the last one" Chase began "we'll take the tube out and check to see if he'll breath on his own" he explained knowing that, unlike all other patients, House wouldn't feel scared by what he had to say "if the swelling does go down, he should breath on his own …"

Wilson nodded and, out of the corner of his eye, saw House nod too. Although, it might just have been him, but Wilson could have sworn he'd seen a glimpse of fear in his friend's eyes as he was wheeled off to get his MRI.

**TBC**

* * *

_Ok, so for the first time in a long time I didn't leave you with a cliffy … well … not a suspenseful one … I hope you liked that and I promise to try my best to update before I go on holidays …_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	39. Chapter 39

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **So new update!_ _Which, of course, means I'm happy, which means I passed my test and that means: I'm going to medical school in September :D :D :D_

_So, because I'm happy, I figured you all deserved to be happy too for being such great reviewers, so here's a new chapter for you :D I think you'll like this one, I feel it's going back to the 'old' style of the story (if that makes sense to you guys) and is setting the pace for what's to come …_

_Oh, BTW, if any of you guys out there_ _are from the Czech Republic, then I just thought I'd let you know that I'll be moving to your beautiful country in September since that's where I'm going to be studying :D_

_Thank you all SOO much for your reviews and for your 'good luck' wishes for my exam! Really, you guys are amazing :D *hugs*_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"Hey" said Wilson upon re-entering Cuddy's room

"What happened?" she asked, still scared of whatever it was that had made Wilson leave so abruptly

Smiling, Wilson took a seat beside her bed "he woke up"

The smile that erupted on Cuddy's face was incredible. Wilson hadn't seen her smile like that in three weeks. It was remarkable how the news that House was alive and would be fine could make her look like none of the past three weeks had happened.

"They're taking him up for an MRI now to check how he's doing, and then they're going to extubate him. If all goes well, he should be breathing on his own and insulting people again in about half an hour"

Tilting her head back onto her pillows and placing a hand on her stomach, Cuddy sighed of relief. It wasn't over. She could still tell him, still turn this around. Well, she could as soon as she was allowed out of bed.

20 minutes later, Foreman poked his head into Cuddy's room.

"Oh, Wilson we were looking for you. Things are looking good, we're going to try to extubate him …"

Wilson smiled at Cuddy as he stood from his chair "I'll be back"

Nodding and smiling back, Cuddy watched as the oncologist and neurologist walked out, hopefully, to keep the father of her child alive.

Now that she was alone, she placed her hand on her stomach. Dr. Bates had told her that Wilson knew the sex. She still didn't want to know because, as the past three weeks had shown her, things still weren't certain and she still couldn't count, 100% on everything going well. But the truth was she was dying to know what it was. She'd had a lot of time to think over the past three weeks. She'd thought up several names, and then changed her mind and thought up whole other sets of names. Thought of all the things she could do with a daughter, and all those she could do with a son. But, deep down, she wanted House to have a say in it, she wanted him to at least have a say in their child's name, to be a part of at least that much of their son or daughter's life, but she knew the odds of that were slim.

But, damn it, she was going to try. She didn't know how, or when, but she knew she had to tell him about the baby, she had to tell him he was going to be a father. House had always been prone to rash moves and dangerous thinking, he'd almost died three weeks ago, who was to say next time he wouldn't? She couldn't let anything happen without him knowing the truth.

So, as she waited for news, she sat there thinking of all the possible ways in which she could tell him, when, where and how. And in all the possible scenarios, everything ran smoothly until she got to the part where she had to think of his reaction, the part where she was confronted with the fact that she had lied to him for seven and a half months, she'd proven him right, everybody does lie and, most importantly, she had done something that, whether he admitted it or not, would probably hurt him.

* * *

"Ok, you know the drill, blow out as I pull out the tube, ok?" asked Chase as he took hold of the top of House's ventilator tube and began to pull.

When the tube was out, everyone fell silent and all eyes fell on House. His eyes were wide, his mouth open and his body squirming as best he could with all his injuries. But no air was going in or out.

"House?" asked Wilson taking a step closer "come on, breath"

Again, nothing happened.

"Foreman!" cried Cameron "he's not breathing!"

"Give him a few more seconds" said Foreman stopping Chase by the arm as he moved to bag his ex-boss

"He's going to suffocate!" Chase protested

Foreman shook his head "if he were you, he'd push it to the limit …"

"Chase!" yelled Wilson moving closer to House, his eyes glued to his monitors.

"Come on, House" said Foreman as Chase looked at the ambu bag he was holding.

"That's it!" yelled Chase breaking free from Foreman and taking the necessary steps towards House. Air flowing into his lungs again, House allowed his body to recuperate before pushed Chase's hand away.

"Wha …" Chase looked at Wilson surprised

Just as he was about to cover House's mouth with the bag again, a sound of coughing escaped House's lips. Then another and soon he was coughing heavily and, in between coughs, _breathing_.

Running to his side, Foreman pulled out his stethoscope and Cameron began to help him sit up to help him breathe better.

"Don't try to move" she said "just sit, you can't move your neck because of the brace and your arm is in a cast, just sit and breathe"

"Breath sounds sound good" said Foreman moving the stethoscope around the diagnostician's back

"Welcome back!" smiled Wilson placing a hand on House's good shoulder as he struggled to steady his breathing.

"I …" House tried to talk but the only sound that came out was somewhere between a wheeze and a cough.

"Don't try to talk" said Wilson just as Cameron was about to "focus on breathing first"

"I'm fine" House managed to cough out as he pushed Foreman's stethoscope away and made to lie back down.

As soon as his body was at a 45º angle from the bed, the coughing became so that he immediately shot back up into a sitting position.

"No, you're not" said Wilson as Chase moved House's pillows so he could rest his back on them in a sitting position.

"Here" Chase offered him a glass of water with a straw in it

A few gulps later, House's breathing calmed a little and he pushed the glass away.

"As I said" he managed to get the words out completely now, though they were still hoarse "I'm _fine_"

"Yea!" said Foreman "you're absolutely _fine_! I had to drill a hole in your skull and operate your vertebral column, Chase had to cut your back open to reset your shoulder like a puzzle and the nurses had to stick up something like 7 cuts along your right side, but you're _fine_"

Smiling at Foreman's sarcasm, Cameron nodded "we'll come see you later"

With that, the three ducklings left Wilson and House alone.

"How you feeling?" Wilson asked

"Great!" said House

Having missed his sarcasm for three weeks, Wilson smiled "good to hear. How are you, really?"

Sighing, House looked around "Back hurts, shoulder hurts, leg, oddly enough, doesn't hurt as much, but I'm guessing that'll change as soon as the other pains go and it comes back, so, all in all, _great_" he repeated.

"That's _great_" Wilson replied emphasising the word as much as he had.

After that, there was a silence. Both of them, obviously, thinking the same thing, neither knowing which should bring it up.

"How's …"

"She's fine …" they spoke at the same time.

Smiling, Wilson continued "like I told you, she had a problem a few weeks ago, but she's been on strict bed rest for three weeks and is doing well. The baby is doing great, it's the right size, according to the ultrasounds, it has five toes and five fingers, so everything is looking good" he joked

"Why'd you bring her here?" House asked him, his voice no longer filled with the same joking sarcasm.

Hanging his head for a few seconds, Wilson sighed "she had to come, House. Staying there, while you were here hanging between life and death, you didn't see her, she was terrified, I think … I think it would have been worse if she'd stayed home …"

"When she was here, did she, say anything?" House, in a thoroughly uncharacteristic move, asked

Frowning, Wilson nodded "wait, are you saying you _heard_ her?!"

House shook his head "no, you idiot! I didn't hear her, I've told you, people in _coma_s don't _hear_ things …"

"Ok" replied Wilson, not completely convinced "Well, I have to go tell her your awake before she personally comes over here and complicates things. You should rest, I'll be back in a couple of hours, ok?"

House nodded "fine"

Once Wilson was gone, House sighed and looked around. He hated being proven wrong, he hated that he'd spent all these years saying that people in comas can't hear and that now, from personal experience, he'd been proven wrong.

He didn't know what she'd said to him, but he'd been aware that she was there, just like he'd known whenever Wilson checked in on him, or Chase or Foreman took him for another scan. It wasn't exactly consciousness, but it wasn't oblivion either. And what's more, he knew that she'd said something, he knew that something important had happened, he had a feeling he knew what it was, rather, he _did_ know what it was, because there was only one thing Cuddy could say to him that would cause such an impression when he was closer to unconsciousness than consciousness. But he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept that she had said it, that she had admitted it. Because if he did, then it'd be his move, it'd be his time to choose between being there and loving them both, or walking away and watching them both from afar. And he wasn't ready to make that choice, not when he knew the right choice was the once that'd be hardest for everyone.

**TBC**

* * *

_I'm not sure whether that counts as a cliffy or not, but I'd say not so I think I'm not being too evil (of course you could have completely different opinions :P). I hope you enjoyed that and I promise to try and update this on a more regular basis after I return from my holiday since I no longer have studying to stop me from doing so._

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	40. Chapter 40

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__I'm back from el Caribbean and ready to write more :D So here's the next chapter. I hope you like it, I do. From my calculations there will be probably no more than 4 more chapters, though it could be three or five depending on where this takes me … _

_Thank you all so much for your reviews and for sticking with me this far, I hope you continue to like the story 'till the end :D_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

"So?" Cuddy asked when Wilson re-entered her room

"He's going to be fine" he smiled "for a while there, it seemed like he wasn't going to pull through but he's ok now"

Sighing of relief, Cuddy smiled and relaxed into her pillows.

"While you were gone, Dr. Bates came to talk to me" she said

"Oh, and?"

"He wants to keep me in the hospital until the baby is born to make sure there aren't any more complications, but he's letting me move around a little"

"That's great!" said Wilson

"Yea, I can now go to the bathroom of my own accord and take an occasional walk up and down the corridor" she smiled

"That's great news, Lisa!" said Wilson moving closer to her bed "how are you feeling?"

She sighed and smiled "huge, the baby is constantly kicking at my insides and I haven't really moved in over three weeks, but I'm feeling great!" she said and, unlike House before her, Wilson detected no sarcasm in her words.

"You only have, what, a month an a half to go?" Wilson asked and Cuddy nodded

"If he or she doesn't decide to be late, then yes, a month an a half" when she finished the sentence, Cuddy fell silent, and so did Wilson.

There were only 6 weeks to go and she still hadn't told him. Time was most definitely running out and, as they sat there in silence, they both knew that.

"Lisa?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to talk to him?" asked Wilson

Silently, Cuddy hung her head "How do I tell him?" she asked "its bad enough that he doesn't like kids and never wanted any of his own, but to have him be hurt by me lying to him, by … I don't know if I can …"

"But you told him" said Wilson trying to convince her "you stood next to him and told him!"

She smiled "its surprisingly easy to talk to House when he's not really listening"

Wilson shook his head "you're both idiots" he said, not as an insult, but as the truth, and Cuddy nodded.

"If you don't tell him now, are you ever going to?"

Cuddy shrugged "I honestly don't know, James" and a single tear fell down her face.

"Hey" he comforted her

"I should have told him before …" cried Cuddy

"Come here" said Wilson taking her into a hug as he sat next to her on the bed

Wiping her tears, Cuddy pulled back from Wilson "I'm fine" she nodded.

"You sure?"

"Yea … just hormones" she replied with a smile

"Ok, then" he said standing from the bed "look, can I give you some advice?"

"Uh, sure …"

"The way I see it, you have two options. Either you both get over whatever it is that is making you both so stubborn and do something about it, and by that, I mean _you_ do something about it. Or you both move on and forget all of this …" said Wilson, knowing perfectly well that the second option was one that he, Cuddy and, even, House would never agree with.

Nodding, she agreed. It was true, there really were only two options open to her. Either she went for it, or she didn't. Yet that was much simpler said than done.

"I want him to know, Wilson, you know I do … but I _can't_"

Nodding, Wilson decided to drop the subject for now "right now, all you have to focus on is keeping that" he pointed at her stomach "baby safe, anything else can wait, ok?"

Thankful that the conversation was over, Cuddy nodded and smiled. Wilson was right. Her baby came first, anything else would have to come second.

* * *

As Cuddy and House remained in the hospital over the following weeks, they didn't talk. Not even once. To be fair, they _were_ both on bed rest, House being allowed to walk only a little around his room to keep his already injured leg active and Cuddy being allowed to walk only to the end of the corridor. It was only through Wilson that either of them found out how the other was doing and, surprisingly, they were both perfectly alright with that.

"How are we feeling today?" Dr. Bates asked Cuddy as he entered the room with his clip board in hand

"Tired" she replied with a smile

"Well, you _have_ been carrying a little human being for eight months, it's only fair that you should feel a _little_ tired" he said, he too smiling. Pulling the ultrasound machine closer to her bed, he spoke "lets take a look, shall we?"

Already used to the daily check ups – one of the perks of being dean of medicine – Cuddy didn't even flinch as the cold gel hit her abdomen.

"Everything looks good in here" the doctor spoke, mostly to himself "amniotic sac looks good, and, wow …"

"What is it?!" Cuddy asked suddenly alarmed

"You have a fully grown baby in here, Dr. Cuddy!" smiled Dr. Bates

"Fully grown as in … ?"

"As in, odds are you'll be delivering this little kid earlier than we thought" he smiled

Suddenly Cuddy felt herself start to panic "how _much_ earlier?!"

"Well, I don't want to be too specific, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened within the next week …"

"The next week?!" Cuddy asked still unable to believe what she was being told.

Dr. Bates nodded "Yep, any longer and we'll have to induce labour … this little guy has certainly benefitted from your hospital stay! If we were to wait for the 9 month mark, I'm afraid it would be too big and, since this is already a high risk pregnancy, I don't want to risk any further complications"

Nodding, Cuddy took a deep breath as Dr. Bates wiped the gel away and returned the ultrasound machine to its proper place.

"Are you ok?" he asked her suddenly noticing the frightened look on her face

Nodding, Cuddy spoke "Yea, yea, I'm fine, uh … could you call Dr. Wilson for me?"

"Sure" the obstetrician nodded as he left the room.

* * *

"Cuddy's going to have the baby within a week" Wilson told House as he took a seat in the chair opposite his bed in his new, private room.

"Huh?" House asked slightly distracted by the cross-word puzzle he'd been doing; in pen.

"Cuddy" Wilson repeated "is going" pause "to have. The baby. Within a week"

"She's only 8 months along" said House suddenly looking up "she's got another month to go …"

Smiling at House's badly-hidden concern, Wilson explained "Bates says the baby's already fully grown, if we let her hit the 9 month mark, she might not be able to handle labour …"

Nodding, House didn't speak and, instead, returned to his cross-word.

"You do realise this means _your_ kid will be here in less than a week, right?" he asked House, just to be sure he'd been paying attention.

"No, it means Cuddy's baby will be born within a week" House clarified looking up at Wilson with a face that told the Oncologist to drop the subject.

"House …"

"Don't" House suddenly spoke in the kind of serious tone Wilson had never really heard from him.

"I didn't …"

"You were going to try one of your usual tactics to change my mind" House spoke as he studied the paper in front of him

"Well …"

"I've made my mind up. It's _her_ baby, I can't …"

"Oh, cut the crap, House!" Wilson was now angry "we both know that's not what you think! You told me, you _told_ me that it was _your_ kid! And, what? Now you're just going to give up?"

"Look at me, Wilson!" House replied, his anger matching Wilson's as he motioned to his neck brace, scraped face and bandaged arm "I could have _died_! How many times in the past years have I ended up in a hospital bed? Huh? Do you _really_ think I'm the most indicated guy to be a _father_?"

"It's not up to me, it's up to Cuddy and she wants y…"

House shook his head "I know what its like to hate your father, I know what it did to my father to have me hate him … I'm not going to do that to myself or that kid …" he shook his head again "my mother could have done a perfect job by herself, she didn't need _him_ around, and neither did I. A kid _doesn't_ need a mother and a father, not when the father is a screw up, not when …"

"House! Will you shut up!" said Wilson standing up "you think you're going to be your father?! You think that little baby is going to hate you?! Maybe you really _shouldn't_ do this, you obviously don't understand a _thing_ about it …"

Shaking his head and giving House a sad look, Wilson left the room, unable to hear House's self pity anymore.

Now alone, House hung his head. Well that had gone smoothly.

But he was right. He wouldn't be any good at it. Not only did he not know the first thing about being a good father, he was a major risk. He rode a motorcycle every day, he landed himself in a hospital bed at least 4 times a year, his job entailed dealing with unknown diseases that could be contagious and deadly. He just, simply, wasn't someone who should be a father. What he couldn't understand was why no one else could understand that.

He'd already admitted to wanting his kid, but that didn't mean he was about to ruin its life. He was at least that much of a human being. So why the hell did Wilson have to keep going there?

"House?" came Foreman's voice from the doorway interrupting his thoughts.

"yea?"

"How you feeling?" apparently it was time for his check up "any back pain?"

House shook his head "no back pain, but my leg's aching like all hell, thing you could do something about that?"

Shaking his head with a slight grin, Foreman spoke "you're maxed out on your painkillers. In three days you're going to be discharged, feel free to go crazy with your Vicodin then, for now, you have as much morphine as we can give you"

As he watched Foreman leave, House looked over at his IV drip. Damn, he was right, he was at the maximum. Then why the hell was his leg still killing him?

**TBC**

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed that, I certainly liked writing it and, since I didn't leave you with a cliffy, I'll just tell you this: I have a feeling you're going to like the next chapter, no _really_! :P_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	41. Chapter 41

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Ok, now, this is the chapter that you've all been waiting for … well, at least it's the chapter that contains _part_ of what you've all been waiting for … And, since it _is_ and important chapter in the story, I've made it an EXTRA long one (i.e. it's about 3000 words long) … so I hope you enjoy it, because I certainly did, and don't worry … everything is going to start coming together pretty soon :D_

_Oh, and considering how long I've been aming you wait, I figured I'd post this extra early to keep you happy, hope it works :D_

_Also, thank you so much for your reviews, and you know the drill, if you keep them coming, I keep the chappies coming … seems like a fair deal to me :P_

_Oh, and __Winnywriter__, you said your birthday was yesterday, then consider this your _late_ birthday present :P_

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

Two days later, Cuddy sat in her bed, as she'd grown used to, watching some mindless day-time soap when, out of nowhere, pain shot up threw her. It was like nothing she'd ever experienced. She wasn't sure what to focus on, the pain shooting up her back, that eradiating from her abdomen or the pain shooting down her legs. What she was painfully aware of was that she was either about to die, or about to have a baby. Considering she'd been pregnant for the past eight months, she figured the latter was more probable.

"Nurse!" she called as one of the day-time nurses passed by her room.

"Dr. Cuddy?" she asked as she entered the room to find Cuddy clutching her stomach and breathing quickly

"Get Dr. Bates, please" Cuddy managed to get out as the pain began to subside.

Nodding, the young woman ran out the room and returned, a few minutes later, with Dr. Bates in tow.

"Dr. Cuddy?" Bates asked with a smile as he realised what was happening.

"I think …" Cuddy smiled now that the contraction passed and she realised exactly what was going on.

"I told you your baby would be early" he smiled as he began to pull on some gloves and got ready to examine Cuddy.

"I just didn't think it'd be _this_ early" she said wincing slightly as another contraction hit her.

"Hm…" said Bates as he began his exam "you're at about 4 cm … there's still quite a while to go, I'll get a monitor in here and I'll check on you again in 30 minutes, ok?"

Cuddy nodded. Being a doctor she knew there were still _at least_ a few hours to go, but if this was what early contractions were like, she couldn't help but wish things would just move along _very_ quickly.

* * *

"Ah, Dr. Wilson" said Dr. Bates as he passed Wilson in the corridor

"Bates" Wilson nodded in greeting

"Just thought I'd tell you Dr. Cuddy is in labour" the obstetrician smiled

"What?!" Wilson was caught off guard "now?"

Frowning with an amused look, Bates nodded "yes, _now_. I thought you might want to be there with her"

Nodding, Wilson bid the doctor goodbye and changed course to Cuddy's room

* * *

"Hey!" he greeted as he stood by her bed "how are you doing?"

"Right now?" she asked "I'm hating men"

At that, Wilson had to laugh "Yea, I would too …"

"Oh, you have _no_ idea!" she winced as a contraction hit her

"Did Bates say how long you had to go?" Wilson asked

Cuddy shook her head "not specifically" she took in a deep breath as the pain passed "but I'm only at 4 cm, so it should be a while …"

Nodding, Wilson pulled up a chair and sat next to her

"What are you doing?" Cuddy asked him as he pulled out his cell phone

Looking down at the small screen, he replied "cancelling my consults for today"

"You don't have to do …" Cuddy began but was stopped by yet another merciless contraction

* * *

Checking the chart in his hands, Chase nodded "you'll be good to go, tomorrow"

"Grrrreat" mocked House changing the channels on his TV

"Don't sound so enthusiastic" said Chase placing the chart back at the foot of the bed

Shrugging, House went back to staring at the TV just as Cameron burst in the door

"Cameron?" Chase asked confused

"Cuddy's in labour!" she spoke excitedly to Chase who was now sharing her broad smile

As her words hit him, House wasn't sure what to react to. First there was the shock of realising that his kid was about to be born, then there was the concern for its and Cuddy's well being, both feelings which he managed to successfully hide. Finally, there was that common desire to burst Cameron's bubble and take away all the sugary happiness that surrounded her. Not because he was angry at her, he really wasn't, but he'd been much happier before she'd burst in there, and he hadn't even been all that happy before, so one could only imagine how miserable he felt right then.

"You ok?" Cameron asked noticing House's hand shooting for his thigh

"Fine" he replied a little too harshly

"You know we can't …" began Chase but was quickly interrupted by House

"… up my morphine, I _know_!"

Taking the diagnostician's tone as their cue to leave, Cameron and Chase bade him goodbye and beat a hasty retreat.

Alone, House let his head fall back onto his pillow in pain. His leg was aching, he couldn't move an arm and wasn't allowed to turn his head because of the brace surrounding his neck. And if that weren't enough to make him miserable, he now had to sit there and wonder what was going on with Cuddy.

He had gone over the whole issue in his head hundreds of times over the past two days. And he'd come to the conclusion that, just because he wasn't going to speak it or act on it, it didn't mean that he didn't care for Cuddy and the kid. It was _really_ hard to admit it to himself, but he had. He _was_ worried, he didn't want anything to go wrong, if for nothing else, because he didn't want to live with the thought of 'what if I'd been there'.

So, he prepared himself for what he knew would be hours of waiting, hoping that Wilson would break his silent-treatment he'd been giving him since their argument and tell him _something_.

* * *

"Only a bit longer to go" said Bates as he pulled off his gloves after examining Cuddy a few hours later

"How much?" asked Wilson who's tie was now flung on one of the visitor's chairs along with his jacket and briefcase

"Oh, about an hour and a half?" he suggested "you're already at 8.5 cm, so only another centimetre and a half to go" he smiled at Cuddy who was now covered in sweat with a few loose strands of hair stuck to her face.

Nodding, she let the doctor leave before turning to look at the foetal monitor, something she'd been doing a lot of, to make sure that the heart rate was still steady and going.

"It's fine" Wilson said as he saw her checking the monitors "stop worrying, you're doing great"

"That's easy for you to say, you're not about to squeeze the equivalent of a bowling ball out of …" but her statement was cut off by the ringing of Wilson's cell phone.

"Sorry" he apologised with a small smile as he checked the message.

_How are things? -__H_

Watching his expression, Cuddy asked "anything serious?"

"No, dean of medicine, I am not letting my patients die to be here" he mocked her starting to reply to the text.

_She's fine, I'll update you later. -__J_

With a small smile on his face, Wilson sent the text to House. For someone who said he didn't care, House was _certainly_ keeping his distance.

It was only two hours later that the oncologist and the Dean of Medicine finally heard the obstetrician say the words they'd been waiting for: "it's show time"

"You ready?" Bates asked Cuddy as the nurses began to prep her to be taken to the delivery room

Looking around slightly scared, Cuddy nodded "ready as I'll ever be"

"Is someone going in with you?" the nurse asked her

"N…"

"I will" said Wilson stepping next to Cuddy

"James, you don't have to …"

Shaking his head, Wilson looked at her "you don't have to do this alone" he smiled, letting her know that just because House wouldn't step up (or, considering his wounds, couldn't step up), that didn't mean she had to go through it all alone.

Nodding, she allowed herself to be wheeled out of the room with two nurses and Wilson in tow.

Just as he left the room, Wilson managed to send House a text.

_She's going in. __Will talk to you soon, -__J_Lying in his bed, House red the text and felt too many emotions to process. On the one hand, he knew he should be there, on the other, he was happy that she at least had Wilson with her.

* * *

For months he'd been telling himself that it was going to be fine, that he'd just walk away, now he was starting to see that it _wouldn't_ be so easy. In fact, as the thought of his kid being born swirled around in his head, it started to feel like it was going to be pretty damn hard.

* * *

"Ok, Lisa, on 3" said Bates "1 … 2 … 3 … push!"

In that moment, Cuddy cursed every man and anatomy teacher she'd ever had. She cursed men because they'd never experience the pain she was going through, because they got the nice end product of a child without any pain, in fact, with almost nothing but pleasure. And she cursed her anatomy teachers for never pointing out that in between the oxytocin secretions and uterine expansions, there was a whole lot of nigh unbearable pain.

"Nearly there, Lisa" said Bates as he waited for another contraction to hit "ok, come on, one more time, push!"

Lisa was actually thankful to have Wilson there because, not only was he a comforting presence, telling her she was doing great and soothing her, but his hands were also just the perfect size for her to squeeze into oblivion as each contraction hit her.

"Ok, one more and you're done, Lisa!"

And it was true. After one more excruciating push, the sound of crying filled the room and she felt herself fall back onto Wilson, sighing of relief. She'd made it.

After a few more seconds of Wilson telling her how great she'd done and the doctors fussing around the small baby she'd just given birth too, Cuddy was finally handed her child, and she saw it's face.

Before anything else, she noticed it's eyes. She knew that a lot of babies were born with blue eyes which eventually darkened, but looking into that pair of ocean-blue eyes, so like House's, she knew they were going to stay like that for good.

And that was when she noticed it, a blue blanket. It was a boy. Her boy. Her son. She had a little son. And suddenly she was crying.

"He's beautiful, Lisa" said Wilson giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze as she looked down at her son.

Nodding, Cuddy just stared, mesmerized at the little boy in her arms. After everything she'd gone through, she was finally there, she had a kid, a son. She'd done it, she was a mother. Yet, through all the happiness surrounding the moment, she felt a twinge of sadness as she missed him.

She was eternally grateful to Wilson for being there, yet, she'd wanted someone else there, someone who would have been everything but kind and understanding, someone who would have squeezed her hand back when she squeezed his, someone she loved.

Seeing the look on her face change between sadness and happiness, Wilson stepped in "I'll go tell him" he whispered as he smiled at her and, after caressing the little boy's face, left the delivery room.

* * *

"Hey" said Wilson smiling as he entered House's room to find him, once again, focused on the puzzle page of the local newspaper

Looking up, House was silent but nodded.

"Just wanted to tell you everything is fine"

Again, House nodded.

He desperately wanted to ask, to know, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it, he knew it would just be harder if he knew.

Sighing, Wilson moved closer to House's bed as he saw the sadness in his friend's eyes.

"You sure you don't want to see them?" he asked "I could get you a wheel ch …"

House shook his head. It hurt, but it was the only way this would all work.

"House, come on … that little baby needs a father!" said Wilson running out of ways to convince his best friend that he was being an idiot.

Again, House shook his head "Cuddy will find someone …" he said, and, again, Wilson saw and, now, heard the sadness in his face and voice.

"House, you didn't see h …"

"Don't" House cut in "I don't want to know what it is"

Shaking his head, Wilson raised his hands in defeat and spoke "fine, just so you know, _it_ has your eyes" he said before walking back to the door to go find Cuddy who, by now, would surly be back in her room.

Closing his eyes, House put down the paper he'd been reading. His leg was killing him, and now his head was hurting too. Damn it! He was doing the right thing! He knew he was.

* * *

"How's the little guy?" Wilson asked as he walked into Cuddy's room where she had returned to, her abdomen significantly smaller than it had been an hour before

Smiling, Cuddy looked at Wilson "they went to clean him up and will bring him back for his feeding any time now" she explained

Smiling, Wilson took a seat next to her "that's great. _He_'s great. You did good, Lisa"

"He _is_ beautiful, isn't he?" she asked, knowing that a mother's point of view was always biased

Wilson nodded and smiled "absolutely"

Suddenly Cuddy went silent

"What's wrong?" asked Wilson

"He has his eyes …" she said looking at him with a tear in the corner of her eye

Nodding, Wilson shifted forwards in his seat "he does. Are you going to …"

But Cuddy cut him off with a half shake of the head, both because she didn't want to talk about that just then and because her son was being wheeled in at that very moment.

"Hi, baby" she smiled as the nurse handed him to her.

"I'll wait outside" said Wilson, leaving with the nurse to let Cuddy feed the baby.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned when he heard Cuddy calling him.

"Yea?" he asked upon entering the room

"Could you?" she asked pointing with a free finger to the small crib her son had arrived in which was too far from the bed for her to lay him in.

"Oh, sure" he said wheeling it closer to her

On the side, Wilson noticed, was a small blue sticker.

_Baby Boy Cuddy_

_3.1 kg, 49 cm_

"Baby boy Cuddy?" he asked her with a smile as she gently placed him back on the sheets

Cuddy nodded

"You still haven't thought of a name?" Wilson asked

"Well, yes and no …" she replied

"How so?"

"Well, I don't have a first name, but I do know it will end with Gregory Cuddy" she said looking down at the now sleeping baby.

"So, uh, what about 'x' Gregory Cuddy?" joked Wilson as he too looked down at the little baby

Cuddy laughed "It's a possibility …"

* * *

The next day, Wilson stood by House's door as his friend struggled to walk with his cane in his left hand. He was now in his street clothes, his arm across his chest, and his neck brace still on.

According to Foreman, he'd have the cast on for at least two more weeks, as for the neck brace, it should be gone by the end of the week. Apart from all that, he was good to go.

Being House, he'd tried to deny allowing the nurse to bring up a wheelchair, but, upon realising that limping with his cane in his left hand would be harder than he expected, he'd conceded.

"Here you go, Dr. House" said the nurse stopping the wheel chair next to him and waiting for him to sit on it.

Begrudgingly, House tossed his cane at Wilson and slowly lowered himself onto the seat, all the while looking everything but happy.

"Thanks, Jenny" said Wilson with a smile at the nurse "I can take him from here"

* * *

"Where are you going?" House asked as Wilson took a turn in the opposite direction to the exit.

"Pit stop before we go" his friend replied, his smile hidden behind House's head.

A few minutes went by in silence before House started to look around.

"No!" said House as he realised where they were going.

Shaking his head, Wilson kept going "what are you going to do? Jump out of the moving chair and crawl your way out?"

Desperate to leave, House sat there knowing there was nothing to do. And that's when he saw it. First there was a glass, then a whole room filled with sleeping or crying infants. Just a sea of pink and blue.

"I don't want t …" started House but Wilson cut him off.

"I'm sick of your crap, House. This is the last time I'm giving a damn. If you're going to walk away from this, then I'm at least making sure you know what you're walking away from …" said Wilson, his voice angry as he pointed to the glass "see that?" he asked

Not wanting to, but being unable not to, House followed Wilson's finger. He was pretty sure Wilson said something like 'that's your son', but at that moment, he was unable to focus on anything. Because there, wrapped in a blue blanket, eyes wide and searching, was his baby. He was still wrinkled and his few hairs messy, he was small and looked more like an alien than anything else. But, in that moment, House realized, he wasn't a foetus. He wasn't a parasite.

And for the first time in a long time, House felt a twinge in his heart. Wilson's plan seemed to be working, it was infinitely harder to leave now, knowing what he was leaving, than in had been before.

He had a son, a little boy, and Wilson was right, he did have his eyes.

"Right this way, Dr. Cuddy" the two doctors heard a nurse say as the door to the nursery opened.

Pulling the chair back from the window and starting to wheel House away, Wilson only caught a glimpse of Cuddy moving closer to her son's crib. House, on the other hand, saw more than he'd ever wanted to as he turned around slightly in his seat.

Seeing the baby was bad enough, seeing Cuddy was also bad enough, but seeing Cuddy's smile as she picked their son up was literally killing him.

If up to that point he'd had any doubt that what he was about to do would be really hard, all that doubt vanished as he faced forwards again and allowed Wilson to steer him out of the hospital and to his car.

**TBC**

* * *

_Phew! That was a long one! And hopefully, a rewarding one to those of you who've been waiting this long to get to this point … also, on the baby's sex, I know most people picture House having a daughter. But most House-kid stories have him having a girl, so I decided he was going to have a boy, and, since then, I realised that, actually, a boy fits too … hope you agree! :D_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	42. Chapter 42

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Hey, sorry for the wait on this one, but after the last chapter, I didn't want to just give you some short, not very interesting chapter, so I decided to wait a little longer until I could write something I was happy with. And here it is :D_

_As always, thank you all sooo much for your lovely reviews, particularly for the amazing feedback on the last chapter, I'm really happy you all liked it and that you're happy with the House baby being a boy :D _

_I'd like to particularly thank iHouse for the amazing PM she sent me! __Ou, por outras palavras, muito obrigada pela tua PM, fico sempre feliz por saber que andam ai Portugueses a ler fanfics, e fico ainda mais feliz por saber que gostam do que escrevo. Espero que continues a gostar :)_

_Once again, thanks to you ALL for being the most amazing reviewers ever, and now, onto the chapter._

_Anyways, Enjoy!_

* * *

Two days later, House lay on his couch, as he'd been doing since Wilson had brought him home. He wasn't entirely sure when he'd last eaten, but since he felt no need for food, he figured it couldn't have been that long. Turning to his right slightly, he reached, with his left hand, for the Vicodin on the floor beside him. Even with the copious amounts he'd been taking, his leg was still killing him and sleep was still evading him.

Why did Wilson have to do that? Why did he have to show him the baby?

It was killing him. For the first time in his life, he felt the undying need to be with someone, to care for and protect someone, and that was killing his plan.

How the hell was he supposed to walk away now? How as he supposed to just lie there and keep living his miserable life when, less than 15 minutes away, the woman he loved was raising his baby?

* * *

In her room, Cuddy held her son in her arms and smiled down at him. He had her nose, her hair and a lot of her features, but his eyes were most certainly House's and that was why, every time she looked at the little boy, she felt a twinge of sadness.

She'd been dreaming of having a child for years and she'd always known that she'd most likely go through it alone. Yet, in her mind, he'd always been there, and now, realising that she _really_ was going to go through it alone, she felt, not only tired, but also scared.

Could she really handle a child by herself? Could she handle the hospital, House and their son? Was she going to have to give up on one?

It was that last question that was the most powerful. She would never give up on her son, she couldn't. So that meant that, if anything were to fall behind, it would be one of the other two. But the truth was that, if House were the one she gave up on, she would be miserable, and if she were to give up on the hospital, she'd also be miserable and, at the same time, she'd be giving up on House. Maybe it was because she was tired, but any way she looked at it, the situation seemed to be a no-win.

As the little boy in her arms moved a little, she smiled. She still didn't have a name for him and, even though she had a long list to pick from, she just couldn't. Any name she gave him seemed to be only half fitting, and she knew why, it was because she was choosing it alone, because she was making a decision by herself which she wanted to make with him.

"You ready to go home?" Dr. Bates asked as he and Wilson entered the room

"Huh?" replied Cuddy looking up from the baby, slightly confused

Smiling, Wilson moved around the bed so he could look at the little boy's face

"Well, this little guy is two days old, there have been no complications with either you or him, so there is really no reason why you should have to stay here any longer" smiled Dr. Bates gently touching the baby boy's head

"I went over there last night and finished off the nursery" said Wilson "everything is ready"

"Oh, thank you" said Cuddy smiling up at Wilson. Then she turned to Dr. Bates "So, I can actually go home? Today?"

The Doctor nodded "Yes, as soon as you're ready to go, I'll sign your discharge papers, and you'll be good to go"

"Ok then, thanks …" she looked down at the baby and gently placed him back in his crib.

"Oh, and I brought you a bag with some of your clothes" said Wilson holding up the bag "I wasn't sure what to bring so, uh, I just got you a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, is that ok?"

"Yes, thanks, James" she replied as she got out of bed and took the bag from him before moving into the bathroom.

After a few seconds, Wilson turned his attentions to the little baby in the crib beside him.

"You, know, just because your daddy is and idiot, doesn't mean he doesn't want you" he said caressing the little baby's cheek with the back of his finger "he's just scared"

Being only two days old, all the boy could do was move his little arm sleepily into the air and then back down onto the sheets.

Smiling at the gesture, Wilson took it as him saying he understood.

* * *

Wilson had just texted him. They were taking the baby home. And there he was, stubbornly sitting on his couch, his Vicodin bottle being twirled between his fingers, his eyes fixed on the black screen of the TV in front of him.

He couldn't stop thinking, he couldn't stop the images in his brain, and, worst of all, he couldn't erase the image of his son from his mind. And it was killing him.

He knew all he had to do to get rid of the pain would be to get his ass off the couch, grab his cane, call a cab and go over there. He knew that, _really_, it wouldn't be too hard. Yet he was House, he was deeply afraid of pain, of being the one to take a step, so he held back and, taking a swig of scotch, did his best to turn his mind off.

* * *

"Welcome home, kid" said Wilson as he placed the baby's carrier on the floor by his crib and returned to the hall way to help Cuddy with the bag she'd been carrying.

"Thanks again for your help, James" Cuddy smiled at him dropping her bag by the door and turning to face him.

"Your welcome, and, if you need anything, you know what to do, right?" he asked with a smile

Nodding, Cuddy stepped forwards and hugged him, smiling, Wilson didn't hesitate to hug her back.

"You going to be ok?" Wilson asked her when they broke apart

Nodding, Cuddy smiled "yea, I'll be fine"

Looking a little unsure about leaving her alone, Wilson looked around "you want to get dinner or something?" he asked

"Really, Wilson, I'll be fine" she said in a small laugh

Smiling again, he spoke "humour me, let me order in some take out, we'll have dinner and then I'll leave, ok?"

Nodding, Cuddy agreed "I'm going to check on the baby, the menus are by the phone" she told him as she moved into the nursery.

* * *

"I'll get him" Wilson said with a smile as he got up from the table and headed to the nursery.

For the past two hours, he and Cuddy had been sitting at the kitchen table eating and chatting, now, it seemed, baby Cuddy also wanted some attention.

* * *

"Hey" said Wilson picking up the small, crying baby and smiling at him "are you hungry?" he asked him

Being only two days old, the little boy merely moved his arms around in no particular direction and looked up at Wilson with his piercing blue eyes

"I'll take that as a yes" Wilson laughed as he began to move towards the kitchen.

* * *

"Here you go, mommy" said Wilson handing the crying baby to Cuddy

"Oh, thanks" she replied smiling down at her son "What's wrong, baby? You hungry?" she asked

"I asked him the same thing, he refuses to answer" Wilson joked

"Stubborn isn't he?" Cuddy joked back as she began to feed him

Smiling, Wilson nodded. Of course he was stubborn, he did have Lisa Cuddy and Greg House for parents, after all. And it was then that he decided that he wasn't about to give up. He had told House that he was going to stop caring, but he couldn't. Because as beautiful as the picture before him, that of Lisa holding the baby was, it was missing something, and he'd be damned if he let that part keep missing.

"Well, I have to go, but, as I said, if you need anything, please call me, ok?"

"Sure, and thanks for everything, James, I do appreciate it" replied Cuddy looking up from the baby to Wilson

* * *

"What do you want?" House asked Wilson as he opened the door to his apartment.

"Hello to you too" Wilson replied as he walked into the apartment. The first thing that hit him was the darkness of the place, then it was the smell of scotch and, finally, the Vicodin pills spilt on the small coffee table next to the couch which seemed to now have a permanent dent in it.

"Again, what do you want?" asked House who, obviously was in no mood for visitors

"I just came from Cuddy's …"

"Will you stop?!" House yelled turning in a spin to face Wilson "I don't want to know! I don't care!"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Wilson spoke "is _that_ why you're sitting here alone, in the dark, popping Vicodin and downing scotch?"

"Wilson, for _once_ will you drop it?!" House yelled again

Taking a step forwards, Wilson smelt the alcohol on House's breath and realised that there was a very good chance that what he was about to say would fail to enter the diagnostician's brain.

"Stop looking at me like that" House said "I'm not drunk. I was, I hope to be again in the future, but I'm not now, so say whatever it is you're dying to say and get the hell out!"

"You're not drunk? Good, then hear this" said Wilson "I just left Cuddy's, she's exhausted and this hasn't even really started yet. She's about to be faced with midnight feedings and a crying, hungry, new born, and she's alone. _You're_ who she wants there, and you could be there, there's nothing stopping you, except that it's damn easier for you to sit here on your ass and not care than to put …" but he was cut off by House's hands on his shoulders pushing him back into the door

"What the hell?" asked Wilson as he balanced himself against the door.

"You think I don't _care_?!" House asked as he took a limp closer to Wilson "I care enough to leave them alone!"

"In what, _twisted_, universe do you live where _that_ is considered caring?!" Wilson asked no standing up straight

"The one where I _know_ that having no father is better than having me! I'm a screw up and a drug addict, Wilson! That kid deserves better … just having Cuddy is better than having me! Why am I the only one who can see that?!"

"Because you're the only one stupid enough to believe it!" Wilson shouted at him "do you _really_ think your _son_ is better off not having you in his life?"

House nodded

"Well then, you're an idiot" Wilson sighed "you found out your father wasn't your father when you were _twelve_. This kid has both yours and Cuddy's intelligence, what do you think is going to happen when he turns 10 and suddenly notices how alike the two of you look, huh? Do you think he'll _thank_ you for your decision then? What happens when kids in school pick on him for not having a father, huh? Will he thank you _then_?"

"I don't want him to thank me … I just want …"

"What?!" Wilson shook his head "What the hell do you want for this kid?"

Kicking the couch beside him, House hung his head before looking up "I want him to not be me! I want him not to hate his father, I want him to grow up into a decent human being, I want him to be able to _feel_ something and not run from it … he can't be any of that with me around!"

"Why, because you think you're like that? Because you hated your father, he has to hate you? Your father was _abusive_, House! I know you enough to know you would never hurt that kid! You think you're not a decent human being? You spend your days saving lives! What more do you want? And as for running from your feelings, the fact that we're having this conversation tells me that you're confronting them, not running"

Shaking his head, House looked at Wilson "you don't know he wouldn't see it like I do …"

"And you don't know he would!"

Moving towards the door and opening it, House turned to Wilson "I'm not going to give him a chance to hate me!"

As he stepped out of the apartment, Wilson turned to House "then you're not going to give him a chance to love you, either"

Slamming the door as soon as Wilson was out of the apartment, House walked to the couch and collapsed onto it with his forehead in his hands.

The problem was that Wilson was right.

* * *

That night, Cuddy was awakened by the sound of her screaming son. Rubbing her eyes and checking the digital clock on her nightstand, she noted that it was only a quarter past three. She'd been up a mere three hours earlier to feed him, and there he was again, screaming for her attention.

Sighing and finding her slippers by her bed, Cuddy began the descent down the stairs to her son's room.

"Shh, I'm here, shh" she soothed the baby as she picked him up and walked to the white rocking chair in the corner of the room.

A few minutes later, as she walked around the house waiting for him to fall back asleep, Cuddy stopped by the guest bedroom. The bed was still messed up from the time she and, she couldn't help but remember, _he_ had spent there. Looking down at her son in her arms, Cuddy smiled a weak smile. At least she had him.

As the baby began to close his eyes, Cuddy began to walk slowly back to his room.

Standing at the crib that House had 'helped' build, Cuddy placed her son on the sheets and slowly covered him.

She wouldn't deny that it was painful not to have House there, that she'd give almost anything to have the guts to tell him the truth and have him be with her and their son. But she feared his reaction more than she needed him there. She knew that, should the moment arise when she was desperate enough to tell him everything and beg him for help, she would do so without hesitation but, for then, she was happy just to have her son. Finally.

**TBC**

* * *

_So, I hope you enjoyed that. I particularly like the House-Wilson confrontation which, incidentally, I hadn't planned to write :P _

_Also, I know it must be getting on your nerves that the baby is constantly being referred to as "he", "him", "the baby" and "the little boy" but I promise you, by the end of the next chapter, you will find out his name … :P_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	43. Chapter 43

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__Hello everybody. I have good and bad news for you all. The bad news is that this is, finally, the last chapter of Foetus. But, fret not, the good news is that there will still be an epilogue and, also, this chapter is 5600 words long, so you still have quite a while until the end :D_

_I would like to thank you ALL for your continued support and interest because, as anyone out there who writes fanfiction will tell you, there's no point writing things if no one's going to read them. So thank you for being there and giving this story a chance. _

_Because I love you all so much and truly think you are the best reviewers in all of the fanfiction world, I would like to dedicate this chapter to all those who have stood by this story from the beginning, giving me constant reviews with both opinions and praise, I wouldn't have made it this far without all of your support._

_I can't name all those of you who I want to thank (because the list would compete with this chapter in length) but I would especially like to thank silkyway for all her support and all my Portuguese readers (whom I hope to see writing fanfics soon) :D_

_Enough with the talking! Here's chapter 43 :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

It was eleven o'clock on a Monday night, a week later, and Cuddy was half sitting, half-lying on her couch, her still unnamed son lying on her chest, his eyes refusing to close as hers tried to do so.

Every night from the day they'd come home until then, he'd cried at least three times. She was exhausted and, even with all the help Wilson provided, she was starting to feel useless. No matter how often she fed him or changed him, he would always find a reason to cry, to call for her attention again.

"Please go to sleep, baby" she whispered down to him as his big blue eyes looked up at her face "please …"

Not understanding his mother's plea, the baby merely focused his eyes on some other new thing he'd found in the room and proceeded to stay awake.

"Ugh …" sighed Cuddy sitting up and placing him in her arms in a lying position "come on"

Slowly, she walked over to the baby's room and placed him in his crib.

"Now, you're fed, you're changed and you should be sleepy … so please, son, I'm going to sit right over there" she pointed to the rocking chair in the corner of the room "and you're going to sleep, ok sweetie?" she asked

Sighing as he continued to move his arms about and raise his legs up for no particular reason, Cuddy backed away from the crib until the back of her legs found the chair and she collapsed onto it.

She'd always known this would be hard, raising a child all by herself, she'd known it would be exhausting and frustrating; but never in her wildest dreams had she _ever_ thought it would be like this. Her eyes were attempting to roll back as her eye lids tried to close, every movement seemed to take more energy than she had, and even the process of thinking seemed to exhaust her.

Slowly, she felt her eyes close and, within seconds she was asleep. Not five minutes later, she was awakened by the initial sounds of a crying baby.

Accidentally hitting her head against the wall behind her in her attempt not to let it fall forwards, Cuddy stood slowly and walked over to the crib.

"What do you need, baby?" she asked him leaning over and attempting to tuck him in as he kicked the covers away "come on, son, what do you need?"

When the only response she got was louder and louder crying, she, herself began to break down.

Dropping to the floor, Cuddy looked at her son through the bars in the crib, her head in one hand, the other reaching into the crib in an attempt to sooth the crying infant. As the tears began to fall from her face, Cuddy spotted the telephone lying on the floor by the crib where she'd left it after her last conversation with Wilson.

"Please be there, please be there" she whispered as she picked it up and dialled Wilson's number for the third time that day.

One ring, two ring … fifteen rings. He wasn't there, of course he wasn't, he had a life. Now sobbing heavily, Cuddy attempted to wipe the tears away as she stared at the phone in her hands.

She needed help, she needed someone there with her, she couldn't do it alone. She was feeling like a failure and every second that went by, she felt closer and closer to simply giving up and sleeping. She loved her son above all else, but she needed help, and right then, she was desperate.

Trembling, Cuddy began to dial. She was scared, but she was also desperate; desperate enough to risk what she was about to do

* * *

.Lying on his bed, House stared at the ceiling above him. The fight he'd had with Wilson had been as much as he'd ever admitted regarding his son. But he hadn't said everything.

Since that day, he'd stayed at home all the time, except for the few hours two days earlier when he'd gone to the hospital and had his neck brace removed. He'd spoken to Wilson, but only for short periods of time as his friend checked in on him. And he eaten only when his stomach hurt so much it competed with his leg.

"Damn it!" he yelled out as he turned on his side and punched his pillow.

Having let out all the things he wanted regarding his son, he was now plagued with thoughts of everything else he wanted, things he'd never fully admitted to himself and which he desperately wanted. Things to do with one Lisa Cuddy.

She was everything he'd ever wanted. She was beautiful, intelligent, witty, strong, and the only person capable of standing up to him. She was everything he could ever need and still, she was everything he was afraid to have.

Having meaningless women, a hooker here, a date with an employee there, that was easy, it satisfied him enough to function, and it kept him safe. But those things no longer helped, he didn't care about any of that any more. He wanted _her_. He didn't just want a hot body and a quick one night, he wanted it all, more than he'd ever wanted it before, and because he could now admit it to himself, he felt more scared than he ever had in his life.

Wilson had been right when he'd said that House was scared that she would be the one, the _only_ one. He was scared shitless of screwing this up, because if he couldn't make it work with the one woman who'd stood by him for over twenty years, he'd never make it with anyone else.

And, for Greg House, the best way to stay safe was to stay away. After all, the best way not to fail is to never try.

As he attempted to convince himself, once again, that trying anything would only hurt everyone involved more than not trying would, the sound of the ringing telephone broke the silence.

Rolling onto his other side and picking up the receiver of the offending object, he spoke "what?"

* * *

On the other end, Cuddy found herself unable to do anything but switch off the phone. What had she been thinking? He wouldn't give a damn if she needed help or not. He'd just tell her to call Wilson and go back to his Vicodin and scotch. It was pointless.

* * *

Staring angrily at his phone House quickly checked his received calls ready to call whoever it had been back and insult them. But all he did when the name showed up on the screen was stare at it.

In that moment, as he registered that Cuddy had called him, his mind flashed back to the night, a few months previously, when she'd done the same, the night she'd thought their son was dead.

And as he pondered the possibility of her being in trouble, of _him_ being in trouble, House felt his earlier fears be replaced with new and stronger ones as his fingers found the buttons on his cell and he dialled her number.

* * *

Surprised by the ringing telephone, Cuddy attempted to compose herself as best she could, her body still rocking with sobs before picking up.

"Hello?" she whispered into the phone as her son's crying reached whole new levels.

"_Uh, Cuddy?_" she heard House's voice on the other end as her heart skipped a beat.

* * *

"_House?_"

"You called me?" House asked, his heart pounding in his chest as the two people within him fought for dominance.

"_I …_"

* * *

As she broke down sobbing again, Cuddy held the phone tighter to her face. He wouldn't care, but she had to talk to someone.

"I can't … I'm just so …"

"_What's wrong?_" she heard House ask with a level of worry on her voice that she had not expected.

"He's … and I'm …" she cried

"_Cuddy?_"

Hiding her head in her hands, Cuddy sobbed harder as her son cried at his highest possible volume. It was really quite remarkable how a voice so loud could come out of someone so small.

"_Lisa?_" House called into the phone catching Cuddy off guard.

* * *

As he heard his son's crying and Cuddy's sobs, House felt Greg take control of the situation.

"Lise, what's wrong?" he asked

"_I need, I just … Wilson wouldn't pick up and … I need …_"

Shaking his head, Greg stood up and looked around for his keys, cursing as he remembered his inability to drive.

"I'll be right there, Cuddy, ok?" he asked as he searched around for a post it he knew had the cab number on it.

"Cuddy?" he called as she didn't reply "you there?"

"_Yes_"

"Did you hear me?" he asked her "I'm on my way, ok?"

"_I … I did, thank you …_"

Without another word, House switched off and proceeded to punch the cab number into his phone.

* * *

House usually hated cabs. He hated not having control of the situation and he hated having to pay for his ride. Right then, he also hated the smell of the cab which he couldn't quite identify and, truth be told, didn't really want to.

But unlike every other time he'd ridden in a cab, tonight he had no intention of yelling at the driver, of insulting him or his driving skills. His mind was too busy picturing what it was that had driven Cuddy so far into desperation that she'd called _him_.

"Left here" he said automatically as they approached Cuddy's street

"What number?" the driver asked in an accent that House couldn't place

"67" he replied taking out his wallet as the houses past by and her's became visible with almost all its lights on.

"Number 67" said the driver as he stopped the car in front of it

Opening the door, House handed the man a twenty, not even checking what it was he needed to pay "here you go"

"Thank you!" replied the driver with a smile as he went on his way, not wanting to stick around in case the man changed his mind and decided to only pay the 6 dollars 45 he actually owed.

Limping up to Cuddy's door, House began to hear the sound of his crying son and, out of no where, he felt the need to comfort him, to find out what was wrong and make it better. Later, he'd realise that it was his paternal instinct kicking in.

"Cuddy?" he called as he rung the door bell.

Nothing

"Cuddy?!" he called again this time banging on the door with his cane

Again, nothing

"Lisa!"

When, at his third try, he got no reply, House bent down as best he could and retrieved the small silver key from under the vase by the door.

* * *

From the moment he entered the entrance hall of Cuddy's home, House registered the mess. There were toys about everywhere, a baby bottle on the desk by the doorway to the living room, shoes by the stairs, the lights were on in every room and the sound of crying filled the house completely.

"Cuddy?!" he called out again, slowly walking down the corridor towards what he knew was the baby's room.

"Cuddy?" he asked more softly as he spotted her on the floor next to her son's crib, her head in her hands, her eyes closed.

"Cuddy!" he yelled hoping it would wake her up.

Awoken from her dream, Cuddy flinched away from the bright light that filled the room. Had she just heard House's voice?

Just as she was about to convince herself that she hadn't, she spotted him by the doorway, the expression on his face showing a mixture of relief and worry.

"House?" she asked as she slowly stood, one hand finding the side of the crib for balance "what are you doing here?"

"_You_ called _me_" he replied frowning as she looked at his face with a questioning look

"I did?"

Nodding, House moved closer to her, examining her face carefully "You don't remember?" he asked

"I thought I was dreaming …" she replied just as the baby's screams grew louder and grabbed House's attention "Ah!" cried Cuddy as she looked down at the little baby "I don't know what he wants! I can't do it!! I'm alone and … I just can't …"

Looking down at his crying son, House felt emotions he never had before and, before his brain could even register what he was doing, he reached down into the crib and picked up the baby.

For a few seconds, there was only the sound of crying as Cuddy broke down again at the sight before her and the baby proceeded to cry. Then, out of nowhere, silence began to fill the room. As the baby's cries subsided, Cuddy's did too as shock took over exhaustion.

As he registered the silence, House looked down at the child he was holding and felt his arm tighten around him making sure he was secure. He couldn't believe he'd done it. He was not only holding his son, but he'd made him stop crying. And just as House felt a small smile tugging at his lips, the baby's blue eyes met his and House knew he had been an idiot for ever staying away. In that moment, looking into his son's blue eyes, so like his, House made the conscious decision to change, even if it took his whole life, he'd be to that kid what his father had never been to him, he'd be his father and, damn it, he'd make him proud.

"How did you …" began Cuddy as she continued to cry quietly, her heart aching as she saw House hold their son in his good arm, his wounded one raising, as best it could in a cast, to hold the side of the crib for balance as he found himself standing without a cane.

"Shh" he whispered to her "you need to rest"

"I can't he'll …"

"Lisa" House began turning to face her, suddenly realising how close they were "please, you need to rest, you can't do this all by yourself"

"I don't have a choice" she replied as a tear fell down her cheek as she looked down at her son's eyes which were staring at House.

"Lise" he whispered as he raised his bad arm to brush away the tear "you do" he said looking into her eyes.

Shaking her head, Cuddy took a step away from House letting out the breath she'd been holding in.

"You'll go and I'll have to stay here … I can't …"

Taking a step towards her without even thinking about it, House spoke "I'll stay"

Surprised, Cuddy looked up to find him, once again in close proximity "what?"

"I'll stay, ok? You need to sleep, I, I can stay and make sure everything's ok …" he almost whispered, his heart pounding with fear as he said the words, as he put himself out there.

"There's no point" she argued "I won't be able to sleep, I'll be too worried …"

"Lise, please, this isn't good for you" he said rubbing her upper arm slightly with his hand

After looking down at the connection between them, Cuddy looked up into his blue eyes and felt the tears build up around her eyes again. She hated to be there, with him being so nice, trying to look out for her and holding their son when she was lying to him, when she knew something that would undoubtedly hurt him.

"House, I …" she began as she saw him move closer to her "I …"

"Shh" he whispered moving the hand that had been on her arm around to her back. He knew what she wanted to tell him and, even though he wanted to get that mess settled, he wanted her to go to sleep more, he didn't want to cause her any more pain.

"Come on" he said manoeuvring her out of the room and towards the spare bedroom they'd both become so familiar with.

"Thank you" she whispered to him as she lay down on the bed and felt sleep wash over her.

Smiling, House looked down at her and, for the first time since he'd arrived, took in her appearance. She did look tired, no doubt, but she also looked beautiful and even happy. But what struck House the most wasn't so much her appearance as what she was wearing. And even there, it wasn't her old tight jeans or stripy socks that caught his attention it was the shirt she was wearing. The grey t-shirt that read "John's Hopkins" in red across the front.

With another smile, House walked around the bed and out of the room. With Cuddy now asleep, he focused on the tiny baby he was holding.

* * *

His son was currently wearing a small blue onesy with a small giraffe cartoon on the chest, his arms were waving randomly before his small face, and his feet were kicking at House's hand.

"Hi" House whispered to him as he took as seat in the nursery

The only response he got from the baby was a blink

"I'm …" House took a breath "I'm your dad, kid" he smiled and, once again the baby blinked

Smiling at the baby, House tightened his arm a little "do you have a name?" he asked the baby who, obviously, didn't reply "no?" he smiled again "how's Ben? Huh? You look like a Ben …"

At that the baby let out a small sound somewhere between a sigh and a yelp, his cheeks moving involuntarily in what could be interpreted as a smile.

"Yea, I like it too" said House.

As he sat there with his son, he realised that no one would ever believe he was there. No one would ever believe that Greg House could be alone with a child without running, that he could hold a baby without it crying and, most of all, that he could hold so much love in his eyes.

As he looked up at his father, the baby opened his little mouth in what had to be the most adorable yawn House had ever seen.

"Oh, great, _now_ you want to sleep …" he said standing up slowly, balancing himself against the shelf beside him "here's a ground rule, kid" he started as he moved towards the crib "bugging your mommy is fun, believe me, but let's not be selfish, you can't have all the fun to yourself and exhaust her, we have to work as a team, ok Ben?" he asked the baby as he slowly placed the covers over his small body and his eyes closed.

With one more yawn, his son fell asleep leaving House looking at him with a smile on his face. After a few seconds, he found himself yawning as well and, grabbing his cane from beside the crib, limped over to the spare bedroom to check on Cuddy.

* * *

Not surprisingly, House found Cuddy to be fast asleep on her side of the bed, a small smile on her face even through the exhaustion.

Moving slowly so as not to make too much noise with his cane, House sat on the free side of the bed and looked at her.

God, she was gorgeous. Shaking his head and wiping those thoughts from his mind, he lay down and, much to his surprise was quickly joined by Cuddy who had just rolled over and met him on his side of the bed.

Once surprise had worn off, he merely smiled and moved an arm around her as he too closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

Seven hours later, House felt Cuddy stir and immediately heard his son's cries.

"I'll get him" he whispered to her and smiled as he immediately dropped her head back onto the pillow and fell asleep again.

* * *

"What do you want, Ben?" he asked his son as he picked him up

Judging by the way he was opening his mouth as he cried and the fact that he'd been fast asleep for seven hours, House assumed he was hungry.

"Can't really help you on that front, kid" he smiled as he began to walk around the room hoping he'd fall back asleep.

As the cries just grew louder, House shook his head "ok, ok, I'll check the kitchen …"

* * *

"You're in luck" House smiled down as he pulled a bottle of milk from Cuddy's fridge. She was probably trying to get him used to the bottle before she had to go back to work.

"Now, do I heat this or …" House asked his son looking quizzically at the bottle. Not having a clue, he sighed "let's give it a try" and he moved the bottle closer to the baby's mouth.

After what House was sure wasn't even a second, the baby turned his face away from the bottle and began to cry again.

"Right, ok, ok, I'm heating it, just chill for a second, ok?" he said as he balanced his son in one arm and used the other to place the bottle in the microwave "two minutes should do it, right?" he asked no one in particular as he leaned against Cuddy's counter top.

"You're a lot of work, you know that?" House asked the baby as he continued to whimper.

Not entirely sure what to do, House turned him into an upright position and attempted to entertain him by moving up and down on the spot; he'd try anything if it meant no more crying.

_Ding_

"There ya go, see, it wasn't too bad" he said opening the microwave and taking out the bottle "Lets hope this isn't too warm …" he spoke as he placed the bottle to his son's mouth and smiled as he began to drink.

With a smile still on his face, House did his best to limp towards the living room where he slowly dropped onto the couch.

"You know, you're surprisingly hungry for someone so small" he remarked tilting the bottle a little more.

* * *

Two hours later, Cuddy awoke to find the place beside her on the bed empty. She was pretty sure that House had been there, it had felt too real to be a dream, and yet he wasn't there now.

She was surprisingly unsurprised. Sure, he'd said he'd stay, but over the years she'd learnt not to trust House's word, why should now be any different.

Getting out of bed and stretching her arms out above her, Cuddy began her walk towards the nursery to check on her son. But, as she passed by the living room, something caught her eye and ear and she stopped, just behind the doorway to listen.

"You need changing, don't you?" she heard House ask "well, too bad, I can handle a lot, but I am _not_ changing your diaper … sorry, Ben, not going to happen"

From her place, Cuddy could see House holding the baby up in the air in front of him and she felt a smile creep onto her face.

"You're going to have to wait for your mommy for that, kid, I …"

"How long have you been up?" Cuddy asked him from the doorway

Looking over his shoulder surprised, House placed the baby back against his chest "since seven, why?"

"He didn't wake up before then?" she asked surprised

House shook his head "obviously not"

"Does he need feeding?"

House shook his head again "found the bottles in the fridge"

"Did you …"

"Warm it? Yea" he replied with a smile to his son

"I hear he needs changing" she smiled and let out a little laugh as House held the baby out to her as she began to walk into the room.

A while after Cuddy had left the room with their son, House took in a deep breath and began his limp towards the nursery.

"Thanks for getting him" Cuddy said over her shoulder from the changing table

Shrugging, House replied "he's not too bad"

Smiling down at her son, knowing that House couldn't see her, Cuddy asked "really?"

Knowing she couldn't see him, House merely nodded and kept staring at the back of Cuddy's head.

When she turned with a now changed baby in her arms, Cuddy was surprised with the intensity of House's stare.

Tearing her eyes away from him, Cuddy placed the baby back in his crib and began to move out of the room, but she found her way blocked by House's shoulder.

Looking up at him, Cuddy saw things in his face that she had only ever dreamed of seeing, and it made her hate herself even more. As he slowly bent towards her, his lips taking the shortest path towards hers, she found herself moving back a little and, just as House opened his eyes to question her, she felt a tear slip down her cheeks and moved around him and out of the room.

Turning on his heel, House followed her into the living room and watched her from the doorway as she sat on the couch and looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears.

"I … I can't …" she whispered trying to avert her gaze from his.

Frowning, House just looked at her, waiting for some sort of explanation.

When she began to talk, he hung his head and moved towards the couch, taking a seat beside her.

"I … I can't because, because I don't want to lie to you, I …"

Shaking his head, House turned to face her "lie to me?"

"I should have told you, I, I knew, and I told Wilson but, but we thought you wouldn't, we thought you wouldn't care, you never cared, you …"

"Lisa" House began trying to cut in and save her the trouble of having to be the one to say it, but she wasn't about to be interrupted.

"I'm so sorry, I should have told you, you deserved to know, after all, he's …" but she was cut off by House's fingers on her lips.

He didn't want to hear her say it, he didn't want her to beat herself up for it. And if she wasn't going to let him speak, he would have to stop her some other way.

"House, I …" Cuddy tried to speak through his fingers.

"No …" he whispered "Don't …"

"But …" she began but he cut her off again

"I know"

Those two words were enough for Cuddy to pull back and look at him in shock.

"You know, _what_?" she asked, her voice suddenly utterly confused

Closing his eyes and leaning his head slightly forwards, House nodded "I know that Ben is my son" he replied

For a few seconds, Cuddy just sat there in stunned silence, then she spoke "I … _how_?"

Smiling, House looked up into her eyes "when you were in hospital a few months back, I was searching your office to find out what was wrong and saw the scan, I did the math, he had to be …" he explained with a small smile on his face

"I …" Cuddy shook her head "I'm so sorry" she whispered as she got ready to stand from the couch, fearing his reaction now that it was out.

But, whatever she had expected, she had never expected what followed.

First she felt his hand on her wrist, then she felt him pull her back down to the couch and, finally, she felt his fingertips on her lips again as she prepared to speak and he looked into her eyes "don't be sorry"

"Bu …"

"No" he shook his head with a smile "_I_ wouldn't have told me" he explained "_I'm_ sorry, Cuddy, I … I should have stepped up and helped, I should …" he shook his head "I want to … I, I know I'm the last person you'd ever want around, but, I want in, Lisa" House said now looking into her eyes "I want to be in his life and … and I want _you_"

For a few seconds, there was silence between them, then Cuddy broke down into what could be taken as both sobs and laughter as her head fell forwards onto House's shoulder.

"You ok?" House asked her

Cuddy merely nodded "I am" smiling, she pulled back from his shoulder and looked into his eyes "you just have no idea how long I've wanted you to say that"

Smiling back at her, House finally leaned in for a kiss and, this time, neither had any intention of stopping.

First everything was slow, their closed lips merely pressed together like two young kids sharing their first kiss. Then House's hand moved to her waist pulling her closer, and hers to his face, rubbing her thumb over the stubble she found there. After that, the kiss escalated, as their lips opened and their tongues mingled, they moved closer, House leaning forwards and Cuddy backwards, his injured arm lying at an angle on the couch beside Cuddy as his free hand roamed the curves of her side.

"I love you" he whispered as he trailed his lips up her jaw line and up to her ear "and I love him" he added as he moved back from her and looked into her eyes. And it was true, with those seven words, he'd said it all, he'd said more than he'd ever done before and, much to his surprise, it no longer scared him.

Smiling beside him, Cuddy closed her eyes and turned her face towards him, finding his lips with her own. Now facing him, she opened her eyes and, her lips still moving over his, smiled. It was all she could ask from him, it was all she'd ever need, and it was exactly what she felt. "I love you too" she whispered against his lips as her grey eyes remained fixed on his blue ones.

Feeling his smile against her lips, Cuddy closed her eyes again and allowed herself to, once again, become lost in his kiss.

And there they remained for what could have been minutes or hours until the sound of crying filled the room.

"I'll get him" House said with a smile as he got up off Cuddy and reached for his cane

"You sure?" Cuddy asked him watching as he limped with his cane in his left hand.

With a nod, House exited the living room.

* * *

"Great timing, kid" he spoke as he dropped his cane against the crib and used his good arm to pick the baby up.

Waving his arms around, the little boy seemed completely unfazed by his father's comment.

"We're gonna have to work on it, aren't we?" he asked the little boy who merely looked up at him with wide blue eyes.

* * *

"Got him" House told Cuddy as he limped heavily back into the living room.

"He can't be hungry already" said Cuddy looking at her watch "according to you, he ate just two hours ago, I just changed him …"

Looking down at his son who was now busy trying to reach his father's stubble with his tiny arms, House frowned "I'd say Ben, here, was just missing the attention …"

"Ben?" Cuddy asked taking the boy from House's arms and looking down at him

"Why not?" House joked

Suddenly Cuddy looked curious and serious "why Ben?"

Shrugging, House looked down at his son choosing to go with "he just looks like a Ben" rather than the real reason.

"Just that, no other reason?" Cuddy asked recognising the expression on his face

Hanging his head, House spoke in a low voice, still unsure about all this opening up "My mother wanted to call me Benjamin when I was born, but my father said it was too wimpy a name for his son, he wanted me to be John, but my mom managed to negotiate Greg … I just thought … if you don't like it, it's …"

"No" Cuddy smiled, thoroughly enjoying this new side of House "I love it"

Looking at his son, House smiled "Benjamin House, sounds good to me" he added looking up at Cuddy with a smile

"Actually, Benjamin Gregory House" she corrected with a smile. Unable to find the words to thank her for placing his name in there, House merely leaned forwards and kissed her.

As soon as the kiss began to become more passionate, the small child between them began to cry and, with a sigh and a smile at House, Cuddy stood.

"Come on, Ben" she said "lets get you to sleep"

As he watched Cuddy and her son leave the room, House sat back on the couch and smiled. He still had a long way to go until he was the perfect father, but damn it, he as going to try, because, now that he knew what it was like to have them both, he was willing do just about anything it took to keep them in his life.

And in that moment, it dawned on him. His son hadn't ever been just a foetus. He was _his_ foetus and, somehow, that made all the difference.

**The End**

* * *

_As promised, you have a happy ending and a named baby :D  
I hope the story lived up to expectations and, if you're worried about it ending already, as I said before, there will still be an epilogue to round the whole thing up nicely. As always, please let me know what you thought._

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


	44. Epilogue

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie! _

_**A/N: **__It has officially come to an end. This is the last A/N you'll be reading for foetus (I hope that makes you as sad as it does me). _

_It's been a great ride and you have all been great with all your reading and reviewing. Believe me, I'm going to miss it (and you)._

_Once again, I owe a HUGE thank you to everyone who has stuck by this from start to finish, to all those of you who have reviewed constantly, and to all those who have kept PM-ing me, both here and on fanpop about the story. I hope it didn't disappoint and I sincerely hope you liked it as much as I loved writing it._

_So, finally, THANK YOU ALL … and here's the epilogue._

_(Oh, BTW, the part in italics is a memory. Just thought I'd mention that)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Six months later, on the 28th December, Cuddy sat in the room she now shared with House, her hair half up and her shoes scattered on the floor.

In less than an hour, she was expected at the Hospital Christmas party which, this year, would be special not only because it was the first she'd be attending with her son, but also because it was the first Dr. Gregory House would ever attend.

Christmas had been three days previously and, to make up for not having known her son was going to be a father, Blythe House had been invited to spend the holidays with them. At that moment, Blythe was in her room, much like Cuddy, getting ready for the party she was about to attend with her son, Cuddy and her grandson.

"Life lesson for ya, Ben" House said to the 6 month old boy on his knee as they both sat waiting for the women "women take FOR EVER" he shouted towards the door "to get ready for everything"

Laughing at his father's face, Ben clapped his hands and attempted to reach up to his father's stubble.

"Ok, we've established that pulling my hair and/or beard is not acceptable" said House turning the boy around on his knee so that he too was now facing the keyboard in front of them.

House had moved into Cuddy's home a few weeks after Ben's birth but hadn't been bothered to sort out his own things yet, keeping his apartment just as it had been six months previously. As such, he hadn't yet retrieved his grand piano and, therefore, had to get by with the small keyboard he had once insisted to buy Ben.

"That's skill" he laughed as the baby boy began to slam his hands down on the keys, giggling at the terrible sounds it made "Mozart would be jealous"

Taking his son's tiny hands, House began moving them on the keys, pressing each of the baby's fingers down at the right key as the sound of 'Greensleeves' began to fill the room

"Don't you think he's a little too young for that?" Blythe asked her son as she entered the room fixing her necklace as she walked.

Looking up at his mother with a smile, House shook his head "if it was good enough for Mozart, it's good enough for him. Right, Ben?" he asked his son who, recognizing his name, looked up and giggled

Smiling, Blythe stretched out her arms out and Ben mimicked her allowing himself to be taken from his father "your daddy is spoiling you already, isn't he?" she asked the little boy while tickling his tummy making him giggle even more.

"Gah!" he cried as he waved his arms around before his grandmother's face

"Sorry I took so long" said Cuddy as she entered the room, her jacket already on "ready?"

As always, House could do nothing but let his eyes roam her body. It still amazed him how quickly she'd regained her figure, keeping only a few extra curves which, if anything, made her even more attractive to him. Right then, he couldn't help but stare. She was wearing a long, deep blue dress which exposed just enough of her cleavage to make him look and hugged her curves just enough to make every other man jealous. And she looked so stunning that he didn't even notice the way _she _was looking at _him_.

Enjoying the sight of House in a tux, something she rarely got to witness, Cuddy felt herself begin to smile as Ben's attentions turned to her.

"You want to go to mommy?" Blythe asked Ben as he stretched his arms out towards his mother "Ok, sweetie, there you go" she said handing him to Cuddy "you look beautiful, Lisa. Doesn't she Greg?" Blythe asked her son having noticed his entranced stare

Nodding, House stood and picked up his coat "let's go?" he asked uncomfortably as his mother continued to look at him with that knowing smile

"Dah …" Ben whispered looking at House and stretching his arms out to him

"Want to go to daddy?" Cuddy asked the little boy with a smile

To this, Ben's reply was nothing but a louder "Dah …"

"Give him here" sighed House taking the boy and holding him in his free arm, his coat resting on his other one.

"Are you going to put that coat on?" Blythe asked him

"No, I'll be fine to the car" House replied rolling his eyes

"It's cold outside, Greg" Blythe insisted smiling at her son's annoyed look

"_Mom_!" House whined in his usual tone as Cuddy laughed at him

"You should really listen to your mother, Greg" she smiled

Glaring at her, House chose to ignore the two women in the room and, Ben still in his arms, proceeded to head towards the garage and to Cuddy's car.

* * *

"You sure you're ok to drive?" Cuddy asked House who had insisted upon driving after strapping Ben into his baby chair.

"I'm fine, _woman_" he replied turning the car on as Cuddy glanced at his thigh "it's just a few blocks!"

"Just making sure" said Cuddy in a low voice looking back at Blythe who merely winked.

"Ready for the party?" the older woman asked Ben in her cutest baby voice, leaning towards him as he giggled

"Must you talk in that tone?" House asked with a small smile "I can hear his brain turning to mush already"

"I always spoke to you in this tone" Blythe replied meeting her son's eyes in the rear-view mirror.

"That explains so much" he retorted looking sideways at Cuddy who laughed

"Fine" Blythe said turning to Ben "So, Benjamin, what do you think of the current state of world affairs?" she asked him in her most adult voice

Looking with an adorably confused expression at his grandmother, Ben tilted his head sideways trying to understand what was being asked of him.

"That obviously worked much better, didn't it, Greg?" his mother asked with a smile at Lisa who was still laughing quietly at the exchange between mother and son.

* * *

"There you are!" came Wilson's voice as he saw Cuddy's Lexus pull up by the front door.

"Hi, James, sorry we're late" smiled Cuddy moving around the car to get Ben.

"Mrs. House" James nodded in greeting upon spotting Blythe

"James" she did the same with a smile at the polite, handsome doctor.

"Stop flirting, you two!" House called from inside the car as he started the engine up again

"Leaving so soon?" Wilson asked glancing at Cuddy, wondering if, even after everything, she was still incapable of persuading House to attend one of these.

"He's just parking the car, aren't you, Greg?" Cuddy asked teasingly as House glared at her, obviously everything but excited at having to attend the party.

"How's my little nephew?" Wilson asked a giggling Ben as the little boy sat in his mother's arms.

"He'll be freezing his little butt off if we don't get him inside soon" replied Cuddy with a smile as a gust of wind blew by them and Ben whimpered, hiding his face against her arm.

Smiling, Wilson led the way back into the hospital as Cuddy and Blythe followed.

"Dr. Cuddy!" Cameron called as she spotted her boss by the entrance and moved towards her

"Cameron" Cuddy nodded with a smile, shifting Ben to her other side

"Oh!" Cameron smiled "and Ben!" she turned to the baby "Hi, Ben!" she spoke softly poking the child lightly in the stomach making him smile.

"You should greet the guests" said Wilson as he looked to wards the donors standing by the large Christmas tree in the centre of the room.

"I should, huh?" she asked looking over her shoulder at them "Will you take him?" Cuddy asked Blythe her referring to Ben.

"Of course!" Blythe smiled taking Ben into her arms as Cuddy straightened out her dress

"Mommy will be back, ok Ben?" Cuddy addressed the little boy who was now looking at her with a confused expression, wondering why he'd been passed onto someone else in these new, unfamiliar surroundings.

Watching his mother walk away towards people he did not know, Ben began to whimper turning towards his grandmother as the band began to play a new song

"It's ok, sweetie" Blythe smiled down at him "mommy will be back, and your dad should be here soon"

"I'll give him another five minutes, if he's not here by then, I'm sending out a search party" smiled Wilson as the baby recognised his voice and turned towards him

"Miss me that much, already, Jimmy?" House joked as he approached them, his jacket unbuttoned and his bowtie slightly crooked.

"Dah!" Ben cried as he saw his father, a smile growing on his lips as he stretched his arms out to House

"He obviously did" smiled Cameron as House took his son from Blythe.

While she'd seen House with his son before, she still found it an odd sight to behold. She'd known House in some of his worst moments, she'd seen how epically jerky he could be and been, at times, the target of his insults. It was hard to believe that the man standing before her, smiling with that cute baby boy in his arms was the same man she'd known back then.

* * *

"I still don't believe it" Foreman said to Chase as he looked to where House, Wilson, Blythe and Cameron were standing

"Come on, Foreman" Chase sighed not wanting to get into this again "you've seen the kid, if he's not House's then House must have a twin out there whose doing Cuddy …"

Shaking his head, Foreman continued to stare in that direction. Much like Cameron, he couldn't seem to wrap his head around the fact that House had had a kid. That the man he'd so desperately fought not to become had had the family he, Foreman, could only dream of.

* * *

"Dr. Cuddy" Cuddy heard an annoyingly familiar voice call from behind her. Closing her eyes briefly and turning on the spot, she put on her best smile

"Mr. Poole" she greeted him with a handshake, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as the donor lifted her hands to his lips

"Garret" he smiled releasing her hand which she promptly wiped on the back of her dress.

"Garret" she repeated with a fake smile looking around her for any other donor to speak to

"Would you care to dance?" he asked her with his best grin

Looking around her desperately, Cuddy managed to catch Wilson's eye and, thankfully, the oncologist got the hint as he quickly made his way towards her

"Oh" Cuddy feigned disappointment "I'd love to, but unfortunately …"

"Dr. Cuddy, how nice to see you, I hope I'm not interrupting" Wilson cut in with his typically polite smile

"Not at all" Cuddy replied with a low sigh of relief

Smiling at Garret, Wilson continued "Well, if you're not busy, I'd like to introduce you to someone"

"Oh, uh, sure. Excuse us, Mr. Poole" said Cuddy promptly moving next to Wilson

Smiling but obviously not happy, Garret nodded "I'll catch you later, then"

With one last fake smile, Cuddy began walking with Wilson, both of them attempting to hide their laughter.

"All done with your duties, dear?" Blythe asked Cuddy when she saw her and Wilson approach

Nodding, Cuddy looked at House with a smile "for now"

"No" House shook his head "I said I drew the line at …"

Clapping his best friend on the back, Wilson grinned to Cuddy "unless you want one of those _rich_, _young_ and _handsome_ investors over there swooping in, you will …" he said

Glaring at Cuddy, House leaned towards his son and whispered something in his ear making the baby giggle

"Stop turning our son against me and come on" she sighed motioning towards the dance floor.

Obviously everything but happy, House handed his son to Wilson and followed after Cuddy shaking his head and obviously muttering under his breath.

"If I didn't know better, I would honestly say he was here against his will" said Wilson with a laugh as Cuddy turned to glare at House

Smiling, Blythe shook her head "nah, I haven't seen him that happy in a long while. He's just playing his part …"

* * *

"One dance, that's all I ask of you!" Cuddy whispered as she and House stood in the middle of the dance floor.

Shaking his head, House glared playfully right back at her

"You know I have to dance at _least_ one dance" she whispered as the band started their song

"Fine" he conceded "but I'm having Wilson cut in halfway through"

"Great" she sighed as he slowly placed his hands around her waist and pulled her closer

For a few moments, they just swayed on the spot, then she felt House's hands tighten on her waist as one threatened to drop lower

"You know" he grinned next to her ear "maybe this isn't that bad"

"Don't you dare!" she whispered urgently as his hand continued its descent.

Looking at her innocently, House shrugged his shoulders "what?"

"You know _what_" she whispered back

"I didn't hear you complain before …"

Inching her knee closer to his groin, Cuddy smiled sweetly "_before_ I wasn't surrounded by over 20 important hospital donors"

"You wouldn't …" House said looking down at where her leg was positioned

"Wouldn't I?" she asked in response with an evil grin spreading on her face

Shaking his head confidently, House smiled "you'd miss it more than I would"

Frowning in a mock glare, Cuddy whispered back "you're right, I can't damage the one part of you that does as I command"

"Ohh" House whispered in mock offence "Ice" he smiled slowly dipping his hand onto the curve of her ass, loving the glare in her eyes as, at their close proximity, she fought the urge to kiss him.

* * *

"Look at them" Blythe laughed

Looking in the direction she had motioned towards the dancing couple "they're never going to stop trying to come out on top, are they?" he asked Blythe as, spotting his parents, Ben clapped his hands and giggled

"The day they do is the day Greg moves out" she smiled, knowing that the little battle for dominance going on on the dance floor was the couple's way of showing how much they loved each other.

* * *

"What happened to having Wilson cut in?" Cuddy asked with a triumphant grin as the song began to come to an end.

Looking down between them at Cuddy's cleavage, House grinned "I figured staying here had more benefits than swapping with him"

"Hm" Cuddy was surprised "I'll take that as a compliment, Dr. House" she said with a smile as he leaned towards her ear

"Do"

"May I?" House then heard Wilson ask as he approached them with Ben in his arms

"Huh?" the diagnostician questioned before realising what Wilson was asking "have at her" he replied with a sly grin at Cuddy

"Lovely" sighed Wilson as he handed Ben to his father and began dancing with Cuddy.

After about a minute of dancing, Wilson looked up to see Cuddy's eyes fixed somewhere behind him

"Oh, no" she whispered

"What?"

"Poole"

"Oh, crap" said Wilson turning them on the spot and looking at the man in question as he made his way down onto the dance floor and towards them.

"Dr. Wilson" he greeted with a smile "Nice to see you again, mind if I cut in?"

Shaking his head, Wilson let Cuddy go with an uneasy feeling, he knew Cuddy had a job to do, she had to humour the donors if she wanted them to keep investing, but he wasn't too happy about Poole being that close to her.

"Well, well, Dr. Cuddy, alone at last" he whispered to her as he began turning them on the spot.

* * *

"Where's Cuddy?" House asked Wilson as he returned from the dance floor alone

"Poole cut in"

"Poole?" Cameron asked knowing the man had been after Cuddy for years

"As in _Garret _Poole?" House asked, he too having heard stories of the man's attempts at having Cuddy

Nodding, Wilson looked over to them uneasily, watching as House's stare fixed on the man now whispering in Cuddy's ear.

"Here" House said handing Ben to Wilson

"Where are you going?" Blythe asked House worried about what he would do, not liking the look in his eyes

Without answering, House began his limp down onto the dance floor and towards Cuddy.

"May I?" he asked with polite sarcasm as he tapped Poole on the shoulder

"You've had your turn" Poole replied with a disgusted look at House

"Excuse me?" Cuddy asked suddenly angry "his _turn_?"

"Oh, that's not what I meant at all, Dr. Cuddy" Poole quickly amended turning towards her "I merely meant to say that …"

"I think you should go" she said taking a small step towards House

"Lisa" he grinned at her attempting to play the situation down "I'm sorry, come on …"

"It's _Dr. Cuddy_ to you" House interrupted stepping next to Cuddy "and she said you should go"

"And who are you? Her big brother?" Poole asked House with another condescending look, this time focusing on his cane

Taking House's hand in a rare public display of affection, Cuddy replied "he's my fiancé and, as I said, you should go"

Suddenly unsure of what to do, Poole merely backed away and left, in House's opinion, looking a lot like a scared dog, his tail between his legs.

"Thanks" Cuddy smiled to House, preparing to walk back to where Wilson was standing with Ben when House's hand stopped her "what?" she asked turning back to him

"What you just … was that …" be began asking

"Oh, uh …" she replied looking down at her feet and taking a step closer to him "… I uh. Yes" she said looking up into his eyes.

The look she found there was like nothing she'd ever seen before, at least not on House. Leaning down towards her, House placed a small peck on her lips, using all his strength to pull back and not deepen the kiss.

"Can we go home, now?" he whispered to her with a grin on his face.

With a short laugh, Cuddy replied "uh, well, I kinda have to stay for the presentation, but you can …"

Groaning, House looked around, knowing that Cuddy would have to stay there the new donor's speech "I'll stay" he sighed, his eyes falling back onto hers.

Smiling, Cuddy tugged his hand and they both made their way back to Blythe, Wilson and Ben.

"Do you want to tell them?" Cuddy asked House before they reached them, her hand squeezing his lightly

Looking up at his mother, son and best friend, House shook his head "not yet" he smiled.

Nodding, Cuddy agreed, she liked keeping at least _something_ from everyone else, she liked the idea of her and House having their own little secret for once.

* * *

Three hours later, the party had finally ended and everyone had made their way home.

As they drove back, the car was silent. Holding a sleeping Ben in her arms, Blythe was quiet so as not to wake him and, in the front seats, House and Cuddy were both lost in the same thought.

……_It had been the 25__th__ December. All the gifts had already been opened and Cuddy had just made her way up to her bedroom to shower and get ready for the day. _

_Upon entering, however, she froze. There, on the bed, was a small box wrapped in red and gold paper._

"_Greg?" she called down the stairs, wondering what he was up to now_

"_Yes?" he whispered from behind her making her jump._

_Turning around, she looked up at him "when did you get up here?!"_

"_About three seconds after you?" he asked with a frown as if she was being completely and intentionally thick_

"_But …"_

"_Shh" he shook his head and placed a hand to her lips "open it" he commanded nodding to the little box_

_Looking uncertain, Cuddy walked towards it and, slowly, picked it up._

_Leaning on the doorframe, House smiled as she began removing the wrapping, his smile growing as realisation hit her and she gasped._

"_I …" she began, but as she opened the box, she lost all ability to speak_

_Nodding, House took a few steps towards her and spoke "you don't have to reply now. Actually, I don't want you to reply now. I just wanted to put it out there, I … just think it over …"_

_Nodding, tears in her eyes, Cuddy looked up at him "I will" she replied, placing the box back in his hands with a smile. She knew she didn't need to think anything through. Her answer would be a resounding yes, no matter when or how he had asked. But she knew that, even after all this time, he still feared rejection, and so she agreed to wait and think about it, because, for House, a thought about decision carried more meaning than a spontaneous one. _Having tucked Ben in and wished Blythe a good night, House and Cuddy climbed the stairs up to what had once been Cuddy's room and was now theirs.

* * *

As Cuddy began removing her jewellery and putting her shoes away, House stood by the doorway, taking only a moment to reach into the top drawer of the dresser by the door and retrieve the small velvet box.

Noticing he wasn't moving, Cuddy paused to look up at him.

"What?" she asked as a smile grew on his face.

Holding up the box, House leaned on the doorframe and smirked

"Oh" she smiled

"I'm guessing you want your gift, now" he said opening the book and turning it towards himself so she couldn't see it.

Smiling, Cuddy put down the necklace she'd just removed and began to walk towards him "that I do"

Taking the small engagement ring from its box, House held it out in front of him, smiling as Cuddy's eyes focused on it.

"It _is_ beautiful, Greg" she whispered taking it from his and examining it on the palm of her hand.

"You should be telling my mom that" he said "if it weren't for her, you'd be getting that plastic pink band that came in the cereal box …" he smirked

"Your mom picked it?" Cuddy asked surprised

Taking the ring from her and holding her hand in front of him, House slid it onto her finger and shook his head "No, it was hers"

Looking down at her hand, Cuddy's smile grew "I love it!" she said caressing the small diamond with her right hand before looking up at him "and I love you"

"Good, because if you didn't, then _this_ would just be awkward" he replied before leaning down and kissing her passionately, pulling her towards him, his hands on her back, hers swiftly wrapping around his neck.

* * *

Later that night, as they each lay in the dark, Cuddy rolled over towards him, resting her head onto his shoulder.

"Hey" he whispered taking in the soft scent of her shampoo, this time knowing it wouldn't cause him to crash and nearly die

"Hey" she replied back kissing his chest softly "about my 'gift'" she began looking up at him, barely registering the outline of his face in the dark "do I have to change my name?"

Smiling, House shook his head "not if you don't want to …"

Thinking it over for a few seconds, Cuddy nodded into his chest "I don't know … Mrs. Lisa House does have a nice ring to it"

Feeling House smile above her, Cuddy reached up and kissed him softly on the lips.

"That it does" he replied as he let his hand run up and down her back

And once again, he felt happy. Happy to be there, happy to have Ben, happy to have Cuddy. Just happy to have taken a chance.

**The End**

* * *

_And here it is, ladies and gentlemen (are there any of those out there?!) the official ending of 'Foetus'. It's been a great ride, and, if it makes you any happier, I haven't completely excluded the idea of a sequel, but if I do write one, it won't be right away._

_Once again, thank you all VERY much for all your support and for all the time you have taken to read this story, and as always, please do leave a review (particularly since this is your last chance to do so) :P_

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please leave a review!**

**CJS-DEPPendent**


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